Jeffrey Rake of Encinitas, California (USA, @SharkRepel) does a lot in the ocean: he serves as an escort kayaker, he swims himself, and his latest iteration, is as an aquapreneur.

While he escort kayaks swimmers across the 32.3 km Catalina Channel and enjoying coastal swims like the La Jolla Roughwater Swim he introduces his latest invention, Shark Bars by Shark Repellänt Nutrition.

He explains, “Our clean, whole ingredients include gluten-free oats, raw unfiltered honey, natural peanut butter and an assortment of dried fruits, nuts and seeds for a natural nutritional boost that is a timely counterpoint to the pervasiveness of protein bars currently flooding the market.”

“I was too busy before Antonio Argüelles’ Catalina Channel crossing to eat dinner,” explains Steven Munatones. “I had a few pieces of fruit when I boarded the Pacific Star, but then Jeff came to my unexpected rescue. He gave me a Cranberry Almond and a Cherry Chocolate Shark Bars. Oh man, he absolutely saved me with those two bars. I could have eaten salty and sugary snacks, but these Shark Bars were filling and I loved the taste of both. They tasted like Jeff just concocted them in his kitchen before heading to the port. Soft and delicious – and instead of unhealthy snacks, I greatly appreciated the naturalness of the mix of oats, peanut butter, honey, flaxseed, almonds, pepitas, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries. There were probably a few other ingredients in there too, but I was satisfied for the evening and through the morning.”

Rake [shown on right above] describes his aquapreneurial journey with the Shark Bars, “The morning of my Around Coronado Swim, I fueled up with a meal that I had just discovered: Peanut Butter Oatmeal topped with fruits & nuts and just a drizzle of honey. It was not only delicious, but it was packed with both the calories and the balance of macro nutrients I was seeking.

• A small amount of protein to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and aid in recovery
• A high density of carbohydrates to serve as my energy source during the 5-hour swim
• A balanced amount of fat to serve as a sustaining source of fuel and a means of sparing muscle glycogen during the swim
• A hearty dose of fiber to enhance my digestive and metabolic health

Upon continuing my training over the next couple of years, I sought to replicate this energy source into a more convenient, portable recipe so that I could consume while traveling to train or compete.

I began baking bars for myself every week. Then, I started sharing them with friends, fellow swimmers, and the athletes I coached. At every turn, friends and random acquaintances alike encouraged me to scale up, expand, and make them available to all.

They became a staple at my La Jolla Open Water Swim Camps which attract marathon swimmers twice a year. Swimmers would post unsolicited positive reviews on the bars on their swim camp feedback surveys.

Nearly 5 years later, I still receive the same encouragement and rave reviews and have begun rolling these bars out for everyone to enjoy.“

For more information, visit www.sharkrepellantnutrition.com and the Shark Bars’ Facebook page.

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