Local and state beaches may have borders, but sharks roam freely in the water.
Shark attacks can be a scary possibility for families enjoying the warm weather and swimming in the ocean water.
But would you know what to do if you encounter a shark in the water?
Experts say sharks are instinctive animals: they follow their food, and the currents. They can be difficult to predict.
Paul "Doc" Anes with San Diego Shark Diving runs a shark diving business to get people close to Great Whites.
He says the animals are not looking for humans to eat. Anes said he believes attacks come down to whether humans are in shark territory.
"White sharks what they typically do is they'll come up and they'll do an exploratory bite, unfortunately they've got really big mouths," Anes said. "They're powerful animals. Their teeth are like scalpels, so they cause a lot of damage."
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Doc Anes says there are many areas along the Southern California coast that are Great White Shark nurseries.
He also says oil from a whale carcass that washed ashore near area may be attacking sharks to certain areas.
Anes said shark bites are rare, but if you do see one, the last thing you should do is panic.
He has the following tips for swimmers:
- Don't swim at early morning light or sunset
- Stay with a group of people
- Stay on a beach that has lifeguards or something similar, in case something does happen, so you have rescue personnel available to assist.
Lieutenant Andy Larem with the San Diego Lifeguards said shark sightings along the Southern California coast are rare. Being attacked by one is even less likely.
"Statistics show you have a better chance of being struck by lightning," Larem said.
Last year, there were an estimated 59 shark attacks across the U.S., according to data collected by scientists at the University of Florida.
