A dangerous sport

Surfing is a really popular sport. But it is not without any risks. Each year, 40 to 50 people die while surfing around the world. And several hundred get severe injuries. And risks are the same for other water riding sports like kitesurfing or windsurfing.

One of the most famous threats in surfing is the shark attacks. This is mainly due to different Hollywood's movies that created this myth of man eating sharks. There is not so many shark attack on surfers. But it is true that surfing increase risks of getting bitten by a shark. Sharks see the surfboard a they could see otters, that are their principal prey along coasts. Thus sharks attack more easily surfers. But this number is still small as their were a total of 53 attacks in 2013 and only 600 people died from shark attacks in the past 60 years. However some shark attacks still occur in surfing and boards bitten by sharks make nice trophee.

Another danger of surfing is the possibility to be taken to the sea by currents. The stronger sweel often come with wind and this create big currents that can get surfers carried away from shore, sometimes very far from the coast. One of this phenomena is called baïne. It appears in specific place, mainly in Gironde, France. It is part of the beach were a really strong current is going out shore. The stream can get surfers very far away from the shore and gets them stranded. Each year, coast guard all around the world have to get inattentive surfers out of delicate situation. The emergence of kitesurfing has even increase this derives as the wind carries some practicer away along with the stream.

This sports all come with a lot of risky situation. Thus, it is important for new practicants to get lessons with some advices about how to avoid it.