How to Be Prepared for a Day of Shark Tagging.

Today in our tropical marine bio adventures, we were off to Dania Beach, FL for shark tagging expeditions via Nova Southwestern University, the Guy Harvey Research Institute, and some friends. We left our hotel at 6:30am, were on the boat by 8:30am and we didn’t get back to the marina until after 5pm. That’s a long and physically demanding day. The sun, heat, reflection of the sun off the water, rocking of the boat, physical demand on the body from the equipment, long hours out, and lack of sleep can all be taxing on the body and mind. Lucky for you, I have some tips to help you get through the day. Some of these can actually be used for other water or physical activities. They may seem like no-brainers, but when you’re half-asleep or in the moment of the excitement, they not always come to mind! These are some things that myself and others did not get to do properly… and thus had some drawbacks to the trip.

This is me, tagging a sandbar shark. No big deal.

1. Get a good night’s sleep.

While I personally only had 3 and a half hours of sleep (and about that every night since being here), I did my best to be alert, excited, and informed. Lack of sleep impairs judgement, awareness, and movement. It also enhances the effects of heat exhaustion and dehydration on the body. Being bright-eyed and bushy tailed is actually a fantastic way to start this type of day.

2. Eat a hearty breakfast.

So again, another thing I didn’t get to do. I barely slept, I ran to the hotel room’s breakfast area before getting into our college van so I could just get a coffee and a bagel. The coffee machine exploded on me, and my bagel never toasted. Food is energy. Not having energy (like not having sleep) could damper your day and worsen the effects of heat exhaustion and dehydration as well. Don’t follow my example.

3. Protect yourself from the sun.

You should be applying sunscreen before going out into the elements, and re-applying every 80-120 minutes or after any water exposure. The reflection of the sun off of the open water can actually worsen your sunburn. Water droplets have been thought to act like a lens, focusing the rays of the sun on YOU. Don’t forget to slather your ears, legs, and back! Having a rash guard or shirt with SPF, in addition to a hat and polarized sunglasses are also highly beneficial in dealing with this type of exposure. While I did not wear a rash guard, I still applied SPF 30 routinely, wore a hat, and polarized sunglasses. Taking breaks from sun exposure to cool down also helps. It only takes 15 minutes in the sun to get sunburn, and it may not appear until a few hours after exposure. It’s too late by that point, but preventing it from getting worse could save you from sun poisoning or heat exhaustion.

4. HYDRATE! HYDRATE! HYDRATE!

I can’t stress this enough. DRINK TONS OF FLUIDS. Powerade and Gatorade are great, but so is just plain water. When your body sweats, drops of fluid are excreted from the skin and evaporated to help cool the body down. Conditions with higher humidity (everything about Florida) make it more difficult for sweat to evaporate, and thus make it much more difficult to cool down. When the body’s cooling system fails, heat stroke occurs (same as if your car overheats in the summer… but I guess that usually doesn’t happen in newer cars). Heat exhaustion can start as weakness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, profuse sweating, rapid heart rate, headache, and muscle cramps. Progressing to heat stroke is an immediate medical emergency. That is why I can’t stress enough to HYDRATE!

5. Pay attention and listen.

The instructors have a lot to say, but it is all vital information and needs to be absorbed. You can get stabbed with a very large fish hook (used to catch the sharks), get tangled in 900-pound test fishing line or rope, hit with a heavy buoy, injured by a shark captured, or fall overboard. These people are professionals. Pay attention and listen the first time something is said.

6. Bring a positive attitude!!

How often is it that we might even get this opportunity?! Have fun with your fellow students and the boat crew! Take action and partake in every activity offered to you in the shark tagging. If there is something to be done, do it! You may never get to do this again, and this is a special opportunity awarded to you. Don’t waste it being miserable or upset over something. Get over it and dive in!! 

Dana Pearson and I setting bait and buoy.

If any of my fellow classmates have anything to add, please do so in the comments!

Please look over the following links for info on the shark tagging project and sun exposure!

Shark Tracking at the Guy Harvey Research Institute

WebMD: Heat Exhaustion

Sun Protection & Sunscreens