Yarrr! This lass be paddlin' on her plank, when lo and behold, a shark be tailin' her! No retreat, says she!
2023-07-08
Yarr! A wench from Florida be praisin' her matey fer steerin' 'er to safety, as he laid his eyes upon a hammerhead shark sneakily trailin' their paddleboard fleet, a good 35 leagues from the shore!
A Florida paddleboarder named Malea Tribble found herself being trailed by a hammerhead shark during a charity race off the coast of Palm Beach County. Tribble initially disregarded the tapping sounds under her board, but her husband, Rick, alerted her to the danger and guided her back to the boat. Tribble credits her husband for keeping her calm and following his instructions. Despite not being informed of the full details about the shark, such as its size and location, Tribble believes it helped her stay composed. She describes the incident as surreal and the first time something like this has happened in the history of the event she was participating in.Tribble re-entered the water 10 minutes after the shark swam away because she didn't want to interrupt her cystic fibrosis treatment. She emphasizes the importance of not quitting in the face of fear for those with the condition. State leaders along the East Coast are warning about shark attacks, with Shirley County, N.Y., closing its beach due to shark bites for the first time. Tribble also emphasizes the need to listen to the people around you and follow safety procedures when paddleboarding.
The executive director for Crossing For Cystic Fibrosis, Travis Suit, commends the Tribble's calm and disciplined response, viewing encounters with sharks as a natural part of being in the ocean. Tribble herself is unafraid of returning to the water and hopes others won't be deterred either, emphasizing that such encounters are rare and that her calmness came naturally to her.