Sharks sighting in Florida

[sunshine]

[Viper]

I believe they do that yearly in that area if I remember. If people in Florida could get a helicopters view of the beach every day, they'd rarely set foot in the water as they'd be amazed at how often a shark swims right past them and they don't even know it.

Volusia county gets 30% of all yearly globally reported shark attacks.

[asonj23]

What beach is that?? I don't think I've seen that many sharks in one area.

[Makaveli123]

What the fudge?! Ive thought about the beach and shark attacks quite a lot recently, but I read its only about 60 people that are attacked by sharks every year..or maybe up to 100 if u consider that there are places in the world where ppl probably dont report such stuff for whatever reason...and 100 sharkattacks in a whole year is really little if u think about how many ppl go to the beach in all places of the world every year..they say getting attacked by a shark is 10 times less likely than dying from a coconut falling from a palmtree and hitting ur head. But when I see these photos, that kinda does put me off..my sister and her b/f have seen a shark before and a girl who loves to surf saw one swim past her....I dont wanna be overly pessimistic or anything, but maybe there are more sharks relatively close to the beach than we think....but then again Im not a surfer and if I wanna swim i prefer the swimming pool for swimming anyways I do however go into the ocean every now and then when im on vacation..even if I dont stay there long or dont go far into it....maybe I should just stick to the mediterranean as theres less than one shark attack per year :-)

Where exactly is that beach tho? Id like to know that too so I know which places to avoid lol

What beach is that??  I don't think I've seen that many sharks in one area.

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[mcruder]

What the fudge?! Ive thought about the beach and shark attacks quite a lot recently, but I read its only about 60 people that are attacked by sharks every year..or maybe up to 100 if u consider that there are places in the world where ppl probably dont report such stuff for whatever reason...and 100 sharkattacks in a whole year is really little if u think about how many ppl go to the beach in all places of the world every year..they say getting attacked by a shark is 10 times less likely than dying from a coconut falling from a palmtree and hitting ur head. But when I see these photos, that kinda does put me off..my sister and her b/f have seen a shark before and a girl who loves to surf saw one swim past her....I dont wanna be overly pessimistic or anything, but maybe there are more sharks relatively close to the beach than we think....but then again Im not a surfer and if I wanna swim i prefer the swimming pool for swimming anyways I do however go into the ocean every now and then when im on vacation..even if I dont stay there long or dont go far into it....maybe I should just stick to the mediterranean as theres less than one shark attack per year :-)

Where exactly is that beach tho? Id like to know that too so I know which places to avoid lol

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Deerfield Beach, about a few miles north of Ft. Lauderdale in Broward County.

[Makaveli123]

I wrote: What the FUDGE?! I guess thats one of the strangest typos Ive ever made LOL

Ive heard there was a wall which reaches out of the ocean on the beaches that belong to ft. lauderdale? (I know u said NORTH of ft. lauderdale) ..like its a beautiful sight and that they built that wall, so the sand cant run back into the sea or something...I think sharks have an easy time swimming around this wall because it doestn go all the way to the beach, but is only in the ocean right? Ive thought about these shark nets before and how sharks could easily swim around them and that 2 of 3 sharks that get caught in these nets are found on the side close to the beach...such a wall that goes all the way to the beach would be a really cool idea, but probably too expensive to build one that could withstand a shark, huh?

Deerfield Beach, about a few miles north of Ft. Lauderdale in Broward County.

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[asonj23]

I can vouch for the shark attacks in Volusia County. I lived in Daytona Beach for

ten years before moving to Jax and surfed regularly. I was "bitten" while surfing

early one morning. I say "bitten" because it wasn't a hard bite but just more like

a nibble as if the shark brushed me with his teeth. I had three nice deep cuts on

my leg though.

[jandar]

Sharks are all over the beaches in Florida. No way around them.

kind of like alligators. You take a risk swimming in any water in Florida, be it Salt or Fresh.

The St Johns River has its fair share of sharks, even 40-50 miles inland.

We also have:

SNAKES:

the eastern coral snake, the southern copperhead, the cottonmouth, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the timber rattlesnake, and the dusky pygmy rattlesnake, as well as areas with Canebreak Rattlesnakes

Spiders

the southern black widow; the northern black widow, the red widow the brown widow

Other:

2 species of Fire Ants

[accatt2204]

I wrote: What the FUDGE?! I guess thats one of the strangest typos Ive ever made LOL

If you type a word deemed inappropriate by the administration than it is automatically changed by the forum itself.

You probably knew that already.

If I remember correctly there seem to be more shark's in central florida than south. I doubt thats true, but the S.F shark's seem smarter than the central florida ones.

[Viper]

If I remember correctly there seem to be more shark's in central florida than south. I doubt thats true, but the S.F shark's seem smarter than the central florida ones.

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Indeed there are more sharks on average during the year in the northern and central portion of the states' coast than the southern yet Ive never read of anyone giving them an I.Q. test.

[miamistreets]

Actually i wanted to know where ther were those sharks they were showing everywhere.Im going to the beach today.I wanted to know so then i wouldnt come out in the news or the hospital.But now i know so i think im safe.

[Makaveli123]

If you type a word deemed inappropriate by thew administration than it is automatically changed buy the forum itself.

You probably knew that already.

Nope, actually I didnt, Im new to this forum. Usually im just used to words being replaced by **** for example. But now I know thx

Actually i wanted to know where ther were those sharks they were showing everywhere.Im going to the beach today.I wanted to know so then i wouldnt come out in the news or the hospital.But now i know so i think im safe.

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[PERIDOT]

Published April 21, 2005 in The Pensacola News Journal

Shark Tale

Video from Snapper Trapper's encounter with huge mako proves fish tale true

Joe Zwierzchowski

@PensacolaNewsJournal.com

Every angler has one.

A "the one that got away" story that nobody in their right mind would believe.

Capt. Paul Redman and the crew of the Snapper Trapper have one of those, too. The thing with the Snapper Trapper's story is it all was captured on video.

Some of the crew of the Snapper Trapper hold what's left of a tarpon they pulled away from a 14-foot mako shark Friday. Pictured, from left, are Drew Redman, Robert Adams and Capt. Paul Redman.

For the complete story with photos: http://cityguide.pensacolanewsjournal.com/...oors/story1.asp

To view the video:

http://www.snappertrapper.com/

Fishing in the Outcast Cobia Invitational on Friday, the eight-man crew of Redman, Robert Adams, Drew Redman, Jon Pinney, Matt Clark, Mike Cronk, Jeremy Cox and J.D. Cox was anxious to find some fish.

Heading east along Pensacola Beach, Redman spotted a large shadow in the water about 100 yards offshore. Thinking it was a large ray that could be hiding a pod of cobia, he aimed the boat at the mystery spot and closed in.

"Initially, we saw a splash that we thought was a manta ray," Pinney said. "It was about 30 yardsoff shore."

As the boat got closer, debate arose as to what the spot in the water was. A ray? A whale? It was neither.

What they found was a 14-foot mako shark making a meal of a tarpon estimated to be more than 200 pounds.

"What was left we estimated to be 180-200 pounds," Pinney said. "It was cut off right behind the dorsal fin. I'd say it was missing 30 inches minimum. The total weight had to be 220-250 pounds. Both (the shark and the tarpon) were potential state records."

This still shot taken from video shot aboard the Snapper Trapper shows the mako toting around a tarpon that weighed more than 200 pounds.

Special to the News Journal

After the initial shock of their discovery wore off, the crew decided the only way to catch the shark was to steal its meal.

"Nobody ever thought about falling overboard," Pinney said. "The adrenaline rush was just so high, it never crossed our minds. I was up in the tower filming; I never thought about it."

After several failed attempts, Adams snagged the tarpon with a snatch hook. Pulling the fish from the shark was just the beginning of the battle.

Unwilling to part with such a tasty morsel, the shark repeatedly came after the tarpon as if it was a co-star in an updated version of the Hemingway classic "The Old Man and the Sea."

"That shark worked hard for that fish," Adams said. "You don't just catch a 200-pound tarpon with no effort. He was wore out when he got to us."

Finally securing the fish with a gaff, the 6-foot, 190-pound Jeremy Cox realized he couldn't hoist the carcass into the boat alone. It took three men and two gaffs to flop the mangled remains onto teh stern of the Snapper Trapper.

The crew erupted with joy.

"It took us about 45 minutes to an hour to get it away from the shark, Paul Redman said. "It was like we won something."

With a bit of quick thinking and a sharp knife, Jeremy Cox cut a piece of the tarpon and rigged it to a 50-wide Shimano TLD 2-speed.

While Cox was readying his rig, the rest of the crew was pitching northern mackerel overboard to keep the shark interested.

Still missing its lunch, the shark was more than eager to make a meal of J.D. Cox's offering.

Fighting a shark in the 1,200-pound range with nothing but 280-pound test line and adrenaline is no easy task.

Redman and the crew chased the shark as it peeled yard after yard of line off the reel and finally, after a 45-minute struggle, it was over.

Hungry and more than a little frazzled, the shark broke free and headed for open water.

"I've been disappointed when we lost fish before," Pinney said. "But I don't think anybody on our boat was too disappointed because of the show that he gave us. It was wild. It still hasn't set in just how big the shark was."

[PERIDOT]

Fla. Shark Attack Kills 14-Year-Old Girl

DESTIN, Fla. - A 14-year-old girl died Saturday after a shark attacked her while she and a companion were swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, authorities said.

The teenagers were swimming on boogie boards about 100 yards offshore when they noticed a dark shadow in the water, authorities said. The other swimmer was not injured, Walton County Sheriff's spokeswoman Donna Shank said.

Both girls swam to shore, and the victim was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead, Shank said. The girl was on vacation from Gonzales, La., but her name was not immediately released.

It was not clear what type of shark attacked her, said Stan Kirkland, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

"The girl was some distance off from the shore," Kirkland said. "I don't think anyone got a good view of the shark."

The attack happened near the Camping on the Gulf Holiday Travel Park, about 45 miles east of Pensacola on the Florida Panhandle.

Authorities closed about 20 miles of crowded beaches to swimming shortly after the attack. It was not immediately clear when they would reopen.

Robert Goodwin, 12, of St. Louis, Mo., said he was ordered out of the water by authorities. "I didn't know that when I was told to get out it was a shark," he said. "I was like, what? Wow that's not cool."

Goodwin's father, Mark, said the family comes to the beach every year. "It was just an eery feeling to see folks sitting there on the beach," he said.

Florida averaged more than 30 shark attacks a year from 2000 to 2003, but there were only 12 attacks off the state's coast last year, according to statistics compiled by the American Elasmobranch Society and the Florida Museum of Natural History.