Great White Shark Scares On East And West Coasts
These legendary fish have been making the headlines in several states lately, with great white sightings and attacks closing down beaches and scaring swimmers out of the water. The past few weeks have been a tense time for beach goers in California and Massachusetts.
In California, two shark attacks led to the closure of Central California beaches, which didn’t reopen until October 6. The first attack occurred near Wall Beach, where a surfer was bitten on the knee. The Los Angeles Times reports that the shark was between 8 to 10 feet long. State officials explain that the surfer did not sustain any life threatening injuries.
The second attack to cause alarm in California occurred when kayakers at Surf Beach were attacked just a day after the surfer incident. Witnesses claim that an 18- to 20-foot shark appeared and pushed a kayak belonging to Ryan Howell, according to an accountbroadcast by WPTV. Howell managed to pull himself to safety in his friend’s kayak without sustaining any injuries. However, the shark did some extensive damage to Howell’s kayak, which was damaged by deep, wide-set tooth marks.
A third great white sighting occurred over the weekend after the two attacks. According to swimmers at the Del Monte Beach in Monterey, California, a baby great white shark was seen swimming near the shore. This shark was captured on video by a diver in the harbor and released by KSBW Monterey. However, while visitors were distracted by this tiny shark, a much larger 18-foot adult great white was also prowling nearby and spotted from a helicopter.
And these were just incidents that affected the West Coast.
Over on the opposite side of the country, visitors and locals on Massachusetts beaches are reluctant to get into the water due to high frequency shark sightings. The Boston Globe interviewed Greg Skomal of the Division of Marine Fisheries, and he described tagging up to 15 great whites sharks this season. Skomal explains that some of these sharks can reach up to 18 feet.
So what should you do as a swimmer if you spot a great white shark? National Geographic recommends that swimmers and beach goers avoid splashing excessively, since this can draw further attention to you. Instead, swim directly to shore and exit the water. You should also be aware of the behavior of other wildlife. If you notice fish or turtles speeding by, it could be an indication of a nearby predator. And if you are attacked by a shark? Victims are encouraged to adopt extremely aggressive behaviors toward a shark by fighting back and aiming for its eyes.
Shark attacks are extremely rare occurrences. Discovery News notes that people are more likely to be killed by a lightning strike than to be attacked by a shark. In fact, your risks of a shark attack are just one in 11.5 million. So while great whites certainly look like the ultimate ocean villains, it’s actually quite unlikely that you’ll fall victim to their jaws.
