Journal of the sixtieth day on board

1st July, 1999

The fin didn't reappear. The north-westerly wind did.
We are at Lampedusa.

Not having success with the sharks we take the opportunity to talk about them. I open a book at random: "Sharks" by Piero and Alberto Angela / Alberto Luca Recchi.

Subject: The Attacks on Man:

Leaving aside the type of coast, the temperature of the water etc., almost two thirds of the attacks happen in water less than 1,5 metres deep and a third less than 15 metres from the shore. This is applicable to the habits of people: 80%-90% of bathers group in these areas. This data backs up what many witnesses to attacks have confirmed: there doesn't exist "a safety depth", a shark will attack wherever right up to the shore, even risking a few centimetres of water (even if this is rare). In general, however, sharks prefer to stay in deeper water, coming closer to the coast and to the shore at night. Curiously, sharks seem to prefer men more than women (a ratio of 12 : 1). Perhaps its just because men tend to practice underwater diving more than women (without forgetting that much of the activities associated with the sea are practised by men).