Attacked by a Tiger Shark by Hoku Aki

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This article is about a 17 year-old boy named Hoku who was lying on his surfboard with his legs dangling in the water of Kauai's Brennecke Beach. As he was waiting for a set of waves to surf on, his leg got caught in a 13 foot long tiger shark’s mouth. The shark bit him and pulled him under water aggressively “like a mad dog with a stuffed animal”. Hoku punched the shark in the nose, but it wouldn’t let go; he later started tearing its gills, but the shark just got angrier and more aggressive. He then reached for an eye and pulled right out. After a harsh over 1 minute under water attack, he still managed to get to the surface of the water and used the board to paddle back to shore and call for help. Hoku was later notified that the bottom of his leg was gone, the shark bit him right below the knee, and he has lost 70 % of his blood in this shark attack. After two surgeries and a month and a half, Hoku surfed with his prosthetic leg.

This article is a great reference to the way a person should respond to a shark attack. Unlike bears, sharks don’t really believe the role of playing dead; to really get rid of a shark, the person’s response needs to demonstrate strength. I also learned, that all vicious animals have a weak spot; before a shark attack, the best way is to punch the shark at the tip of the nose. After a person has been bit, it is important to claw the gills or aim for the eyes. In conclusion, the first reaction in a shark attack is not to panic and show strength in order not to stay under water for long and suffocate.

Aki, Hoku. "Attacked by a Tiger Shark." Outside Live Bravely. 25 October 2007.  16 October 2014. <http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/outdoor-skills/survival/Attacked.html>.