Are you afraid of the ocean? or Peanut Butter?
By ljcapps
@ljcapps (1925)
United States
February 15, 2007 7:45pm CST
Now, I love the sound of the ocean, being out on it in a boat, and just in general, everything about it. Now, my darling wife is slightly paranoid. She's not afraid of the ocean, but what might bite her while she's in it! How about you? Any strange phobias? Not necessarily about the ocean, but anything in general.
2 people like this
3 responses
@fluffleshark (810)
• Ireland
17 Feb 07
I am TERRIFIED of natural water - oceans, rivers, lagoons - anything that I can't see what's under me lol! That said, I did spend 3 months living on a boat, but the water in the rivers we were in was very calm and I wasn't IN the water lol! I think I would be able to go on an ocean cruise (luxury of course lol!), but I cannot swim in the sea.
When I was quite young (about 8 or 10 I think) my sister and my Dad and I were swimming quite far out at a beach in Plettenberg Bay in South Africa, and suddenly I saw a fin about 2 waves away. I pointed it out to my dad, and he said it was a dolphin fin, but then there was an alarm and everybody was streaming out of the water lol! So it was a shark, and it had been really near to the three of us, who were the furthest out from the beach at the time. I think that had quite a lasting impact on me.
As for peanut butter, I ADORE it!!!! btw, did you know that 'the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth' is officially called 'arachybutyrophibia'?!
1 person likes this
@ljcapps (1925)
• United States
18 Feb 07
LOL actually, my wife knew that. don't ask me where she found that out, but she was the one that gave me the peanut butter portion of this. That's so funny. However, i can see where that experience would leave you with some scars. That's just about one of the worst ways i can think of going, a combination shark bite and drowning? being EATEN and drowning? so i understand the fear.
1 person likes this
@ljcapps (1925)
• United States
20 Feb 07
See, now between you and my wife I'm beginning to get creeped out by it a bit! LOL I'm from the west coast, and she's from the east, so as where i actually played in the ocean, she just saw it. And i think she got turned off of the Gulf of Mexico when her brother got stung by a Man O War Jellyfish. I'd probably get her in a boat, cause she loves boats, but into the water? Probably not.
@fluffleshark (810)
• Ireland
18 Feb 07
Yeah its HORRIBLE!!! Theres been a dramatic increase in shark attacks around Cape Town (where I'm from in SA) recently. There was a really awful case recently. This seaside suburb called Fishoek is very popular with pensioners, and a lot of them swim every morning. (My Gran used to lol!) Anyway this 70 year old lady was out doing her usual morning swim, and a few of her friends SAW her being taken by a shark....
Horrific....
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
19 Feb 07
I'm afraid of the stuff in the ocean too. I will only get in up to my ankles. I'm certain the moment I go in any farther a shark is going to get me. Seriously I have seen on the news around where I live about 8 foot sharks in water up to my waist. That just scares me to no end.
On a slightly funny note I have one friend who is terrified of balloons and another who is terrified of badgers. We don't even have those in Florida (I don't think).
1 person likes this
@ljcapps (1925)
• United States
20 Feb 07
LOL okay, i shouldn't laugh, because any fear should be taken seriously, but my wife is creeped out by crickets and cows! But i've seen where people can get attacked in water that shallow also. I think i understand now why i see houses with ocean front property that have pools.
1 person likes this
@Qcorianne (26)
• United States
16 Feb 07
I can completely understand your wife's phobia. I'm scared of deep water (almost drowning as a toddler does that) and everything that lives there. I can't stand being in aquariums for long (especially ones that have the fish swimming above you), and movies with sequences under water scare the heck out of me. The sight of a shark is enough to keep my nightmares raging, and even hearing people mention them makes me see them in the dark or when I close my eyes. Now, I do know how far away from the beach I can go (at least in Texas) without having to worry, but I don't (as a rule) swim outside of a pool in very many other places unless I know what's in the water.
1 person likes this
@ljcapps (1925)
• United States
18 Feb 07
She does okay in aquariums, mainly because it's something our son enjoys, and she'll put up with just about anything for him to have a good memory and learning experience. But i don't think i'll find her swimming in the ocean. There's a picture i meant to up with this discussion, it's a surfer and in the wave behind him is the silhouette of a huge great white. And it's a real picture. I couldn't even imagine.
