while Santiago was sailing back to the shore, sharks were attracted to the blood left by the marlin in the water. The sharks began attacking and eating the dead fish. Santiago tried to protect his catch, but the sharks kept coming. When the old man finally reached the shore, he had only a skeleton of the big fish: its head, backbone, and tail. The sharks had eaten the rest. An exhausted Santiago made his way to his shack and sank onto his bed.