Maui is a beautiful vacation destination for tourists from around the world. The beaches are the main reason to visit, but one beach in particular was closed this past weekend after a nasty shark attack.

The Maui News reports that a 51-year-old woman from California was the victim of a shark attack over the weekend. The beaches near Makena Landing Beach Park were closed on Saturday after the attack. They remained closed until Sunday.

Fire Service Chief Lee Mainaga told the The Maui News that the attack happened about 20 yards offshore on Saturday afternoon. The shark that attacked the unnamed woman was estimated to be between 10 and 12 feet long. The species of the shark, however, is still not known.

Thankfully, the victim will be just fine. She suffered puncture wounds on her right inner thigh and some lacerations to the front and back to her right hand after pushing the shark away. She’s lucky she got away with only that as some sharks tend to be pretty aggressive about holding on to a potential meal.

Despite their aggressive nature, sharks are usually docile when left unprovoked. It’s relatively easy to avoid shark attacks as well by following a few simple rules. For instance, avoid swimming at dawn, dusk or night as these are prime feeding times for various shark species. It’s also important to not wear bright clothing or shiny jewelry as this can also attract sharks.

Shark attacks are incredibly rare, but the media and various films have made people more afraid of them then they need to be. Keeping the above rules in mind should keep you safe from any potential shark attacks in the near future.

[Image: Pterantula/Wikimedia Commons]