Question for all ocean divers

[TheRingFinder]

I just finished reading the book "Unbroken" <-- First off, what a great story of a true American Hero.
If anyone has read this.
My question is this: Is the whole raft ordeal with sharks constantly swimming around them and jumping into the raft and hitting the raft even plausible? I felt like this part of the story was "Hollywooded up". From what I understand of sharks, they are scavengers and opportunists. How would the sharks "know" people were on the raft and thinking as way to get to the people? Per the story, there was no blood streaming into the water. their wounds were bandaged and healing.
Please let me know your perspective on this, just looking for the truth, either way............

 

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[austin]

Go down anywhere along Padre Island(after winter), get on a raft, float out past the 2nd sand bar and see if it's true. And those are small bull sharks that are curious, but hungry...

 

[Boatlode]

Never had any problem with sharks.

That said, I never drifted around the South Pacific on a raft either.

 

[Darren in NC]

Ringfinder, I have studied countless survivor reports from uboat attacks during WW2, where they were forced to be in lifeboats or rafts. I must say his description fits the shark behavior of some of those accounts, though certainly not all. The thrashing of swimmers trying to get to a raft was enough to attract sharks in some cases. In one account, many of the survivors jumped from the ship into hydraulic oil floating on the surface and the sharks ignored them and feasted on quite a few that missed the oil. Sad and tragic stories.

 

[ARC]

Yes this is true... sharks do... and are attracted to the sounds and vibrations of water slap...
This seems to be more so when in open water.

 

[TheRingFinder]

Thanks for your help, I know people sometimes embellish to make stories more interesting. Just wanted to hear from the guys who have some experience in the ocean.

 

[ARC]

You know its weird...
I have said this here before...
I have noticed a serious change in shark behavior and sightings in last few years...
In the old days I could be out on boat for days and not see a shark...
Now... Everytime I go out I see one... or 2 ... even if small.

 

[Jolly Mon]

I have never read Unbroken, but I have read Kon Tiki, the great story of Thor Heyerdahl's balsa raft sailing from South America to Polynesia. Apparently, sharks were an almost constant presence on that voyage, though they were seemingly not overtly aggressive in the absence of blood or other waste in the water...here is a clip from an old documentary film: