Is it true that most people get attacked by sharks in three feet of water about ten feet from the beach? (Jaws)

I don't know.  I'm not exactly the kind of gal dying to find out the answer to this little trivia question either.  I suffer from Thalassophobia - that's a fear of the ocean. 
(Found out the name on this cool phobia list - how many do you have?  I have so so so many.)

The thought of going on a cruise scares the poop out of me.  The mere thought of being out in the open water (I don't care how many life boats there are or how safe people say it is.) terrifies me.  I've seen Jaws.  I've seen Open Water and Titanic.  I am perfectly happy on dry land - thank you very much.    

And when I go to the beach - even the pool - I stay in waist deep water.  I've never been in a body of water where my feet can't touch the surface.  I won't even snorkle. It's not that I can't swim.  I can, I guess but only if my life depended on it.  Although I tell people I can't, so that my fear of the water doesn't seem so ridiculous.  But I guess I've given myself away, haven't I?  What's the point of all this?

Well my brother from another mother, Julio (The Husband's best friend) suggested we all go to Orchard beach aka The Bronx Riviera tomorrow.  (He also suggested I make sandwiches and put in a special order considering he's gone vegetarian.)   

NY Daily News 8/15/2006
"Tide & Joy: A Day at Orchard Beach"

Anyway...my first thought was: How the hell are we going to contain The Boy at the beach.?  He loves the sand!  Hellooooooo sensory! But how will we control him in the ocean?  Well, not actually the ocean - the Long Island Sound...you know what I mean.

The Boy LOVES to swim, LOVES the water.  And while he wears a life vest, he doesn't know how to swim but he tries.  And he refuses to be held while in the water.  In the pool, it's hard to control him.  He wants to "swim" on his own. 

We haven't taken him swimming at the beach...well, since this picture was taken.  He was about 5 months old and we had our photo taken by the paper.  This photo makes me a little sad...all photos pre-diagnosis make me a little sad.  I can't help but look at them and wonder about autism.  Was it there already and I just didn't see it?  But that's for another post.  

Back to the beach. I mean not only is it this wide open space that The Boy could just run off, but the waves and the rocks and the glass. And obviously there are no sharks in the sound.  Or are there?  Needless to say, I nixed that idea - with a quickness.  Maybe I'm being a little dramatic.  Maybe I'm being a tad over protective.  But for now, we'll have to swim at the pool.  And Julio was okay with that.  It's a small price to pay for a sandwich. 

How do you all handle a day at the beach?