Why the ocean is still a safe place despite horror shark attack

Opinion: There are plenty of things in the world for children to be scared of: monsters, imaginary and real; storms and natural disasters; anything that will hurt or take away those they love the most.

Thankfully, the chances of the worst of these fears becoming a reality are low enough that it’s easy to offer comfort, but how do you process disaster striking at a place that brings so much joy – a swim at the beach?

The weekend attack of a young mother by a Great White Shark at Sydney’s Coogee beach is hard for anyone to comprehend.

She was doing all the right things – swimming between the flags, close to shore, in clear water, mid-morning. The usual warnings of avoiding murky water at dawn or dusk simply didn’t apply when this massive 3-4m shark struck.

The video capturing the shark swimming in the area shortly after the attack is deeply disturbing. It is huge.

Thanks to movies like Jaws, it is the stuff of nightmares.

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The beach is a place treasured by Australians. Families love going for a day on the sand and in the waves, and ocean swimming is becoming increasingly popular as a way to keep fit and to socialise.

So how do we remove the fear from something so loved?

There are no easy answers.

There were few people back in the water as beaches re-opened after the tragic weekend attack which left the woman in a critical condition.

The NSW Government is again debating whether culling or commercial fishing of sharks is a way to limit their numbers, although neither will apply to the protected species of Great White sharks.

The broader use of drones and smart drum technology is already being adopted and there are moves to allow permanent low level use of drones over Coogee beach, which has previously not been allowed as it is under the Sydney Airport flight path.

The debate over shark nets also continues.

The ocean is the home of sharks, and many surfers and fishers who spend the most time at our beaches are also deeply divided over the best approach to take as shark attacks increasingly occur.

I know I will think twice the next time I go for a swim, but I will do my best to ease my own fears and those of my children that the ocean is still a safe place to be.