World Cup 2014: Brazil coastal city warns visitors of sharks

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In this June 15, 2014, photo, a sign warns of the danger sharks pose to swimmers at Boa Viagembeach in Recife, Brazil. AP Photo/Lawrence Rincon

RECIFE, Brazil -- Newlywed Akiko Ishihama let out a nervous laugh when asked if she realized thatshe was honeymooning on a beach well known for deadly shark attacks.

"Not at all," she answered as she gazed at the aquamarine water lapping up against the invitingstretch of sand called Boa Viagem Praia. "Maybe I'll stay on the beach and get suntanned."

Ishihama, 28, and her husband, Makoto, 32, kicked off their honeymoon by attending Saturday'sWorld Cup match between Japan and Ivory Coast in nearby Arena Pernambuco. They are among tensof thousands of visitors from around the globe descending on this city in northeastern Brazil to seeone of five matches.

The popular, sun-bleached Boa Viagem beach - which translates to safe journey beach - lies only afew miles south of Recife's city center. Less than a year ago, a woman was killed by a shark here,one of 24 deadly attacks around Recife since 1992.

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Brazilians know the dangers, but government officials have stepped up efforts to warn tourists,erecting signs in English and Spanish with the words "Danger," and "Peligro," fire departmentspokesman Valdy Oliveira said.

The department has increased from 50 to 70 the number lifeguards patrolling the beaches nearhotels, Oliveira said.

"We reinforced our safety protocol near hotels because of these shark attacks," he said. "We havespecially done it in placeshttp://www.einpresswire.com/article/162194507/latest-betting-offers-website-announces-new-no-deposit-bonus-from-coral-casino where water is murky."

Yet not everyone notices the signs, and service industry workers can't effectively warn tourists -most of whom don't speak Portuguese or Spanish.

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Ishihama said she and her husband probably would have entered the water unaware of the beach'sreputation for shark attacks. No one had said a word to them about sharks - at least, not that theyunderstood.

"There's only one guy working at our hotel who speaks English," Ishihama said.

Several lifeguards sit together under a tent almost directly in front of the spot where the last attacktook place. Another, riding a personal watercraft, lurches over the breakers as he takes a pathparallel to the beach as if to shepherd swimmers close to shore.

Large warning signs have been placed along a sidewalk separating a tree-lined sea wall from abustling three-lane boulevard fronting a seemingly endless wall of high-rises. At the center of eachsign is a sleek silhouette of a shark with the words "danger," or "caution," written in red and bluelettering in both Portuguese and English. Similar posters have been affixed to octagonal refreshmenthuts atop the seawall. Planted in the sand near the water are a string of red flags emblazoned inyellow with the word "Perigo," Portuguese for danger.

Some tourists' eyes widen as they notice the shark symbol while approaching the huts.

According to the state's Shark Incident Monitoring Committee, 59 people have been attacked bysharks in or near Recife since 1992. Only 11 months ago, 18-year-old Bruna Gobbi of Sao Paulo diedafter a shark attack at Boa Viagem.

That hasn't stopped sunbathers and kids kicking soccer balls from flocking to the beach. But itdoesn't take long to see that most don't venture beyond the distinctive reef walls - from which thecity gets it Portuguese name. The reef is submerged during high tide, but still protects swimmersfrom sharks, so long as they stay close to shore.

As he monitored the chairs and umbrellas he's been renting on the beach for nearly three decades,

David Jose de Lima, 50, pointed to the spot where last July's attackhttp://online.wsj.com/articles/brazils-world-cup-attendees-are-banned-from-using-caxirola-1401332229 took place. Video of the attack shows several lifeguards rushing to the young woman's aid as shestruggled to keep her head above water and her blood formed a red streak on the water around her.

De Lima considers it part of his job to tell everyone new to the beach about the dangers and alwaysissues a warning for swimmers not to cross the reef. But he speaks just enough English to dobusiness. And not everyone heeds his warnings.

"It's dangerous because a lot of people drink, and drink, and they don't know, or some guys thinkthey're a big man, and they go on the other side," he said.

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