There was once a surfer named Avery who loved surfing the waves off the coast of New Jersey, most known as LBI. She had been surfing since she was a little girl growing up down the shore. She always loved it yet she hadn’t had an experience quite like this one. One day, while Avery was out surfing, she noticed a dark shadow beneath the surface of the water, immediately she started to panic. Her mind went to the worst possible things, a whale? A sea lion? A dolphin? Spiders crawl up her arms in horror. She is frozen, helpless in the middle of the open ocean. Suddenly, a fin appeared at the surface, taken back Avery realized she was no longer alone. A shark was near, and was most likely very hungry. Avery was at a loss of what to do, she first lifted her feet from the water in case the shark were to latch on and pull her under. Avery’s heart raced, but she remembered what she had learned about sharks from her dad when she first started surfing. 

5 years earlier…

“Dad, what's that?” Avery questions anxiously. 

“Oh no stay calm, itll be okay.” Dad says quietly.

“Okay.” Avery says quietly.

“Its a shark stay on your board dont panic, I will punch ‘em in the nose is he comes near.”

“Eek” Avery cries.

*The shark lunges towards Avery’s father*

“Boom, I told you it would be okay, let's make our way back to shore.” Her Dad exclaimed excitedly.

In this moment she knew she needed to stay calm and not make any sudden moves, and if this was a shark then to poke their eyes. A fin broke through the ocean's surface, this is when she knew it was a shark. Avery slowly started to paddle back to shore trying to be as discreet as possible, trying not to attract the shark's attention. The shark seemed too curious and started to follow her very closely. Avery kept herself calm somehow, continuing her slow and steady paddle towards the shore. Unexpectedly the shark bumped into Avery's surfboard! Avery held her breath, trying not to panic. She knew that sharks often bump their prey before attacking, that made her nervous and she knew that this must not have been a good sign. Avery decided to try something she had heard about earlier, she punched the shark's nose, and eyes. Avery had to build up courage to smack the shark right in the eyes and nose without getting too close to its mouth, and accidentally getting eaten in the process. As the shark broke up to the surface to go in for an attack, she kicked the shark's nose and poked at the shark's eyes. To her surprise, the shark swam away! Avery quickly paddled back to shore hoping to not run into another shark, her heart was beating way out of her chest barely able to catch her breath but she was safe as she paddled; she screamed to many other surfers to warn them about the potential danger. 

“Guys get out of the water, There is a shark!” Avery screamed.

When Avery arrived back onto the beach she was almost gasping for air. Avery was eventually able to catch her breath and share her incredibly brave shark encounter with me, as well as helping to get everyone swimming in the water out so they didn't have to encounter a shark as well.