June
2008 | by Jon
Edelbrock
On
April 25, many
things changed for those of us
who enjoy recreation
in our ocean waters.
The white-shark
attack in Solana
Beach was an incredible
tragedy for many,
and has challenged
the psyche of
all who enjoy
our local beaches.
By
now, all of us
have heard or
read many accounts
and theories related
to the incident.
Personally, I've
been somewhat
overwhelmed by
all the information,
most of which
lacks validity
and reliability.
The media have
inundated us with
information on
shark deterrent
devices, possible
sightings, probabilities
of attack, and
a multitude of
untested hypotheses.
To
date, there have
been many claims
of shark sightings,
encounters, and
even a report
of an Orca near
the surf zone
in Del Mar. Without
deliberately discrediting
anyone, none of
the claims made
in the local area
have been substantiated.
I'm not trying
to say the ocean
is a swimming
pool and devoid
of dangers; however,
there is certainly
a large amount
of hype surrounding
the possibility
of a shark being
in our neighborhood.
For
me, and many of
my friends who
enjoy the ocean,
there was little
choice as to which
direction this
profound event
would lead us.
Like many residents
of Del Mar, our
lives revolve
around the ocean.
Do we change hobbies,
friends, and in
my case, my profession?
I'll admit, I've
eased back in
to my normal routine
of surfing, swimming,
and paddling in
the ocean. I'm
not exactly excited
about having the
innocence of my
buoy swims stripped
from me in one
swoop; but, I'm
certainly not
going to let it
get the best of
me nor does it
seem others are
letting it get
the best of them.
I've
noticed that swimmers
and surfers in
Del Mar are gradually
getting back to
doing what they
love. While we're
not seeing nearly
as much offshore
swimming and paddling,
most people seem
to have gone back
to enjoying the
ocean, and the
number of phone
calls and questions
about sharks have
subsided. For
me, these things
alone are therapeutic
and help me find
a sense of normalcy
after a tragedy
that hit so close
to home.
Jon
Edelbrock reports
from the 17
th Street Lifeguard
Station.
© 2007-08 Del Mar Community Alliance, Inc. All rights reserved.
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