It's the middle of summer and many of us are experiencing a heat wave, so what better way to cool off than a trip to the beach. Going for a dip in the ocean is a lovely way to spend an afternoon in the dog days of summer, that is unless you encounter any of the terrifying sea creatures that lurk beneath the water.
Personally, I love the beach, but if even so much of a bit of seaweed touches my leg, I am out of there! I can't imagine my reaction if I ever came across a giant shark or an underwater snake! Did I mention I also hate eels? Yeah, those definitely shouldn't exist.
But the chances are you won't actually encounter any of the nasty creatures lurking in the ocean's depths unless you go looking for them. However, just knowing that you're sharing the same body of water with some of the nasty looking animals in the photos below is enough to prevent some people from jumping in.
This scientist recently came inches away from the razor-sharp teeth of a great white shark:
Have a look at the pictures below of what you might be sharing your beach day with. They may make you think twice about going for a dip. Perhaps it would be safer to just crank the air conditioner and watch Jaws on TV.
1. Humans for lunch?Open wide! Gobble, gobble!
2. Do you think he knows her mantra?Or is he perhaps also hungry?
3. Help! I think I'm being followed!Can you imagine just trying to relax on your kayak and then you turn around and see that?! Warning: Shark attack imminent.
4. Do you think the octopus wants to play?
Or is he angry the scuba diver trespassed into his garden? With eight strong arms, there's no way that scuba diver would make it out alive if the octopus was in a bad mood.
These tourists got more than they bargained for when a gigantic humpback whale surfaced right in front of their vacation lodge. This would make one hell of an Air B&B!
But, it really is! This is a lion-maned jellyfish, and the largest one ever discovered had tenticles that were 121.4 foot long! Can you imagine the full body sting from this thing?
6. The seaweed is coming for you!Despite this just being plants, for some reason this one actually freaks me out the most.
7. No. Just no.A perfect exmaple of beast lurking in the murky depths. This is not okay.
8. This swimmer over a giant sea hole is super scary.Maybe this is where all the missing ships are in the Bermuda Triangle? Or perhaps the hole to the center of the Earth?
9. Look out below!Imagine being shown the picture after being a passenger on that boat! Those boaters are going to have one whale of a tale to share when they get back on land!
10. A person jumping in certainly shows just how big the ocean is.Humans are just a very small drop in a very large blue world. How could we possibly know all of what's lurking in there?
11. Turn back while you still have a chance!This photo right here is why I don't surf.
12. Just look at the size of that great blue whale.The largest species on the planet, and arguably the most impressive. The boat sure does give perspective to the massive size of it!
For yet another amazing whale encounter, check out the video below to see an ocean giant jump out of the water, in what must have been a magical moment for the people on board the boat:
Who knew snakes existed under water? That is knowledge I did not need to have!
14. I don't even know what this is!Maybe the fisherman could feed it to the snake?
Thought that was weird? This next creature should definitely not be in existence...
15. Why is this creature in existence?
This huge basking shark makes me believe Mother Nature opened up my nightmares just to get ideas.
16. Is that an underwater snake again?Believed to be a boa constrictor, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this snake is too big. Like, that should just not allowed. Period.
17. Into the darkness.But what is something touches her leg?
18. Jaws wasn't just a movie.It looks a little a marine version of Pennywise the Clown.
19. I'll take this whale any day over the shark in the last photo.They are gentle giants, aren't they?
20. Nothing gentle about this, though!Something tells me he's got a craving for humans and that the diver might be a suitable menu option for this evening's meal.
21. Sperm whales just look like a mistake, don't they?
What's with the big snout area but such a tiny mouth? It's like a ramp to drive cars on or something!
So, are you still going on that beach day now? If you are, perhaps stay close to shore. You never know what might be lurking in the waters around you! Rather than risk being a sea creature's lunch, how about having some seafood for dinner instead? Goldfish crackers, anyone?
