Check this site before going swimming!
09-03-2013, 12:07 AM
#21
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Location: Murrayville Georgia
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I have been diving in the bahamas with several big sharks within view. I never really worried about them as they dont seem to bother people unless there is something to rile them up. I was more worried about the barracuda that kept following us. sharks are fasinating creatures and not nearly as primative as most believe. the only filmed case of a killer whale attacking and killing a great white was off san francisco a year or so ago. the killer whale went after the great white and tore it apart and ate it's liver, all on film. the interesting part was that it is an area were great whites congregate during that time of year and several are tagged. the following day there was not one shark any where along that area of the coast. one of the tagged sharks headed west within an hour of the attack and went very deep and stayed there till it reached the Hawaiian islands. the sharks all knew almost instantly that the area was unsafe with the killer whale attack and all hauled azz out of the area.
09-03-2013, 12:10 AM
#22
VIP Member
VIP Member
Smarty
I'm sure you remember this.http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...51495398,d.dmg
I'm sure you remember this.http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...51495398,d.dmg
All this is rather moot, I only went in the ocean swimming once this year, so statistically I cannot be that high of risk of getting attacked by a shark. But these sightings and the electronic monitoring of these tagged sharks does make me wonder, how close I have been to sharks. I must admit, I did worry some days when I was young and I was clamming in three to four feet of water (up to my chest) of getting attacked, or stepping on a ray's barb.
Platinum Member
09-03-2013, 10:04 AM
#24
I used to go to Ormond Beach (just north of Daytona, Volusia county is sharkbite capital of the USA). Idiots would fish right off the beach, the water is cloudy (red sand on beaches) and the sharks confuse people with fish due to the cloudy water. I paddled a borrowed kayak with my daughter out 300-400 ft to an anchored sailboat since we could see dolphins nearby.....guy on the sailboat sternly told me to paddle cautiously back to shore immediately. I replied we just came out to look at the dolphins and he responded there are "dozens of other "finned predators" here now also!" It was a quick but careful paddle back to shore.........
On Singer Island last year a kid reeled in a 12 ft Hammerhead onto the beach.....another was caught years earlier within sight of the inlet (1100 lbs, almost 14 ft). Scarier part is Peanut Island is 500 ft off the inlet channel where thousands of people are in the water all weekend!
For those of you that have been to the Islamorada Sand bar.....that is a huge shark fishing area for the local fishing guides. Charter a flats boat and they take you to the sand bar area!
On Singer Island last year a kid reeled in a 12 ft Hammerhead onto the beach.....another was caught years earlier within sight of the inlet (1100 lbs, almost 14 ft). Scarier part is Peanut Island is 500 ft off the inlet channel where thousands of people are in the water all weekend!
For those of you that have been to the Islamorada Sand bar.....that is a huge shark fishing area for the local fishing guides. Charter a flats boat and they take you to the sand bar area!
09-03-2013, 10:08 AM
#25
How about Kite Boarding......having fun until a shark grabs you off your board while skimming the water at 30 mph! Shark grabbed him by the azz, didn't even see it coming!
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/ne...erous-s/nL3bd/
Palm Beach Post Staff Writers
HUTCHINSON ISLAND —
A Martin County Sheriff's Office report released this morning said the 38-year-old man who died of a possible shark attack off Stuart Beach on Wednesday had an 8- to 10-inch bite on his right thigh and numerous teeth marks on his right and left buttocks.
The report also said Stephen Howard Schafer had bruising inside his right arm, and his right hand had wounds that could have occurred as he tried to fight off a shark.
Schafer was kiteboard surfing south of Stuart Beach at about 4:15 p.m. when lifeguard Daniel Lund looking through binoculars spotted him floating about a quarter-mile offshore in an unguarded stretch of ocean.
The lifeguard paddled to him on a rescue board. He saw blood in the water and said Schafer was screaming that a shark had bit him. Lund began swimming back to shore with the victim in tow, the report said.
Schafer was talking to Lund as they swam, but eventually stopped.
Rescue workers gave Schafer CPR before paramedics brought him to Martin Memorial Medical Center, where he died.
Schafer was in a good mood Sunday, sharing a warm conversation over dinner with his mother and stepfather and making plans for the future.
Schafer's stepfather Edwin Cox on Thursday said it was the last time he saw Schafer before his death.
"His mother had just talked to him yesterday," Cox said. "We were supposed to have dinner again last night."
Cox said Schafer's mother, Kathryn Cox, was distraught over her son's death and declined to make any comment.
It is still unclear what type of shark may have been responsible for Schafer's death, but experts say it is likely one of the larger species known to inhabit South Florida waters such as a bull, tiger or even a white shark.
George Burgess, keeper of the International Shark Attack File at the Florida Museum of Natural History said early this morning he was trying to reach Martin County authorities to get more details on the incident.
It is the first shark attack death in Florida waters since 2005.
Burgess said he didn't want to guess on the exact type of shark involved without more details, but that considering the attack was fatal, it's unlikely it was some of the smaller sharks more common to South Florida waters such as the spinner or black tip.
"Those are the species involved in the occasional nips off the east coast, especially in Volusia County, but they are not man-eaters," Burgess said. "If, indeed, the gentleman yesterday was bitten by sharks, it's far more likely it was a larger species such as a bull or a tiger, or a white shark if it was in the area."
Burgess said white sharks typically don't make it much further south than Jacksonville because of they like the cooler water temperatures.
"The white shark is indeed in the area, or conceivably could be, but they are very irregular visitors," Burgess said.
The Martin County Sheriff's Office was investigating the death, said sheriff's Capt. Mark McKinley.
"I've been here 25 years," McKinley said. "To my knowledge, this is the first shark-related fatality we've seen."
In fact, Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties have all escaped fatal shark attacks until now, according to the International Shark Attack File.
According to reports this morning, authorities have re-opened Stuart Beach to the public.
In addition, schools of sharks were seen off Palm Beach this morning. There were easily more than a hundred in the water off Reef Road, according to reports.
No beaches are reported to be closed.
Schafer's friends told TCPalm.com they are shocked by his death.
"I've never heard of multiple sharks in this area surrounding someone and fatally wounding him," said the victim's childhood friend, Teague Taylor, 36. "He was the nicest person ever."
On Tuesday, the day before the fatal attack, Taylor told TCPalm.com he was surfing near where his friend was attacked and he saw several sharks.
"You always think in the back of your mind that they (sharks) are out there," he said.
Jordan Schwartz, who has known Schafer for five years, told TCPalm.com that Schafer was a very experienced kiteboard surfer.
"He was a super nice guy. Always mellow. I don't think he had any enemies," he said.
Sharks have been gathering along Palm Beach County beaches recently in their annual chase of baitfish, Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue Lt. Don May said last week when a hammerhead shark was caught off Ocean Reef Park.
Lemon, bull and hammerhead sharks often are seen off area beaches this time of year, Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue Lt. Don May said.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/ne...erous-s/nL3bd/
Palm Beach Post Staff Writers
HUTCHINSON ISLAND —
A Martin County Sheriff's Office report released this morning said the 38-year-old man who died of a possible shark attack off Stuart Beach on Wednesday had an 8- to 10-inch bite on his right thigh and numerous teeth marks on his right and left buttocks.
The report also said Stephen Howard Schafer had bruising inside his right arm, and his right hand had wounds that could have occurred as he tried to fight off a shark.
Schafer was kiteboard surfing south of Stuart Beach at about 4:15 p.m. when lifeguard Daniel Lund looking through binoculars spotted him floating about a quarter-mile offshore in an unguarded stretch of ocean.
The lifeguard paddled to him on a rescue board. He saw blood in the water and said Schafer was screaming that a shark had bit him. Lund began swimming back to shore with the victim in tow, the report said.
Schafer was talking to Lund as they swam, but eventually stopped.
Rescue workers gave Schafer CPR before paramedics brought him to Martin Memorial Medical Center, where he died.
Schafer was in a good mood Sunday, sharing a warm conversation over dinner with his mother and stepfather and making plans for the future.
Schafer's stepfather Edwin Cox on Thursday said it was the last time he saw Schafer before his death.
"His mother had just talked to him yesterday," Cox said. "We were supposed to have dinner again last night."
Cox said Schafer's mother, Kathryn Cox, was distraught over her son's death and declined to make any comment.
It is still unclear what type of shark may have been responsible for Schafer's death, but experts say it is likely one of the larger species known to inhabit South Florida waters such as a bull, tiger or even a white shark.
George Burgess, keeper of the International Shark Attack File at the Florida Museum of Natural History said early this morning he was trying to reach Martin County authorities to get more details on the incident.
It is the first shark attack death in Florida waters since 2005.
Burgess said he didn't want to guess on the exact type of shark involved without more details, but that considering the attack was fatal, it's unlikely it was some of the smaller sharks more common to South Florida waters such as the spinner or black tip.
"Those are the species involved in the occasional nips off the east coast, especially in Volusia County, but they are not man-eaters," Burgess said. "If, indeed, the gentleman yesterday was bitten by sharks, it's far more likely it was a larger species such as a bull or a tiger, or a white shark if it was in the area."
Burgess said white sharks typically don't make it much further south than Jacksonville because of they like the cooler water temperatures.
"The white shark is indeed in the area, or conceivably could be, but they are very irregular visitors," Burgess said.
The Martin County Sheriff's Office was investigating the death, said sheriff's Capt. Mark McKinley.
"I've been here 25 years," McKinley said. "To my knowledge, this is the first shark-related fatality we've seen."
In fact, Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties have all escaped fatal shark attacks until now, according to the International Shark Attack File.
According to reports this morning, authorities have re-opened Stuart Beach to the public.
In addition, schools of sharks were seen off Palm Beach this morning. There were easily more than a hundred in the water off Reef Road, according to reports.
No beaches are reported to be closed.
Schafer's friends told TCPalm.com they are shocked by his death.
"I've never heard of multiple sharks in this area surrounding someone and fatally wounding him," said the victim's childhood friend, Teague Taylor, 36. "He was the nicest person ever."
On Tuesday, the day before the fatal attack, Taylor told TCPalm.com he was surfing near where his friend was attacked and he saw several sharks.
"You always think in the back of your mind that they (sharks) are out there," he said.
Jordan Schwartz, who has known Schafer for five years, told TCPalm.com that Schafer was a very experienced kiteboard surfer.
"He was a super nice guy. Always mellow. I don't think he had any enemies," he said.
Sharks have been gathering along Palm Beach County beaches recently in their annual chase of baitfish, Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue Lt. Don May said last week when a hammerhead shark was caught off Ocean Reef Park.
Lemon, bull and hammerhead sharks often are seen off area beaches this time of year, Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue Lt. Don May said.
09-03-2013, 10:18 AM
#26
Guy catches a 11 ft Hammerhead off the beach, then drags it back into chest deep water to release it! While I applaud the conservation aspect, not sure I would want to drag it back in the water!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-sfTcw22dE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-sfTcw22dE
09-03-2013, 11:29 AM
#27
09-03-2013, 12:13 PM
#28
VIP Member
VIP Member
Catmando's brother in law got this one on video off NJ.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpeBGvaH0x8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpeBGvaH0x8
09-03-2013, 01:59 PM
#29
Registered
Bullsharks are a real issue where we used to live in Australia, the canals are infested with them, not nice, they are even in our golf course lakes...
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ObIbFxaSm08
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ObIbFxaSm08
09-03-2013, 02:17 PM
#30
VIP Member
VIP Member
I. the interesting part was that it is an area were great whites congregate during that time of year and several are tagged. the following day there was not one shark any where along that area of the coast. one of the tagged sharks headed west within an hour of the attack and went very deep and stayed there till it reached the Hawaiian islands. the sharks all knew almost instantly that the area was unsafe with the killer whale attack and all hauled azz out of the area.
