This week has been a busy one for sharks around the world. The biggest news was one of our own beasts deciding to try and get a nibble of Mick Fanning, this following hot on the heels of Nat Geo’s Shark Week ending it’s seven day homage to the denizens of the deep.

The Mick Fanning incident has once again brought to the world’s attention just how up close and personal our surfers and swimmers often come to sharks, with or without their knowledge. The international community may also remember how Leo di Caprio almost became a tasty snack for a Great White on our shores back in 2006, although according to his account he thought the whole thing was bloody entertaining.

With that in mind we thought we might have a look at our top locations to spot sharks here in SA (or to pay special attention whilst frolicking in the water), starting with the place often regarded as our deadliest shark beach. That is of course Port St. Johns’ Second Beach in the Eastern Cape, a beach that has seen eight deadly attacks in the past six years.

Staying in the Eastern Cape is Nahoon where, in January of this year, a bather was bitten on the ankle whilst cooling off in the shallows.

Of course we all know why Jeffreys Bay (also in the Eastern Cape) will feature on this list, no need to go into too many details. Suffice to say it seems their local finned fiends have a taste for Australian meat.

In terms of KwaZulu-Natal another top spot to watch out for our finned friends is Margate Beach, most famous for the spate of attacks dubbed ‘Black December’. Sure it was way back in 1957 but no one should forget the 12-day period that saw five separate attacks on swimmers, two of which proved fatal.

Also notorious for the ‘Black December’ attacks is Port Edward on the KZN coast, with a then 20-year-old Donald Webster being bitten on the head and neck before managing to escape.

Of course down here in the Western Cape we have that special kind of Great White, the kind that breaches right out of the water whilst enjoying a tasty seal from any one of a number of breeding grounds. Muizenberg Beach is a favourite with surfers but has played host to more than a few shark scares. As recently as August of last year a young surfer was thrown metres into the air by a shark estimated to be at least four metres in length.

Just around the corner from Muizies is Fish Hoek Beach, which has seen two fatal attacks since 2006. A third attack took place in 2011 with the victim losing a foot.

I think we would all do well to remember that, if you consider how many of us enjoy a surf or a splash every day, the chances of actually coming face to face with an unfriendly shark are still incredibly slim. The water is as much their homes as ours (well more so, last time I checked we never had gills) and as tragic as attacks are we should also bear in mind that these are intelligent animals who have very little interest in making us a primary food source.

We’re incredibly lucky to have as beautiful a coastline as we do and, whilst we are in no way making light of any of the above attacks,  the fact that our finned friends share it with us is something we have to be mindful of.