Great Whites too close for me

[Knuckles 904]

We've had great whites around as long as I can remember but typically they stayed near an uninhabitated island (really a big sand bar) off the southeastern part of the cape where there are 100's if not 1000's of seals. Usually don't get too close to the mainland and never hear anything much about them unless a fisherman happens to catch one.

 

But the last few years they've been spotted close to shore and getting close to swimmers/surfers/kayakers. This pic taken on july 7th has pretty much gone viral

 

 

Now it looks like a confirmed shark attack yesterday

 

http://usnews.nbcnew...f-cape-cod?lite

 

And to top it all off, there have been unconfirmed reports of great whites off my beach. Typically they don't venture into Nantucket Sound. It's an area of water between the mainland (Cape Cod) and 2 small islands just south of me (Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket)

 

[Dragon Brother 619]

Thats definitely a chilling sight. Im sure it will make you think twice about going for a dip in the ocean next time you're there.

[Kiyeri 34]

Wow, that's just crazy.

 

Someone told me today that they have been seeing lots of sharks near shore where I live too, Pacific Coast. Wonder if food is getting scarce and they are coming in closer to feed.

 

*shiver*

[Dragon Brother 619]

Wow, that's just crazy.

 

Someone told me today that they have been seeing lots of sharks near shore where I live too, Pacific Coast. Wonder if food is getting scarce and they are coming in closer to feed.

 

*shiver*

 

I think I've heard somewhere that changing ocean temperatures is having some effect on their movements, either them not liking the changed water temperature or following fish that don't like the temperature change.Of course I may be misremembering/confusing it with something...

[gogoblender 3,070]

I'm such a huge fan of great whites! Ever since I was a kid, when I was taken to the library they would be first on my list to pile up into my tiny arms and run home with to devour. In Grade school wrote a Haiku about one, and have watched probably ever single big shark movie out there. Course, Jaws was capstone of times for me, and I still have nightmares of the super great white swimming in the oceans... what, like 150 FEET long?

 

Knuckles, I'm just trying to imagine what your head space is like...that pic that you said went viral is just insane...dunno what I'd do if I saw a fin like that o'r my back...

 

there go tonight's sweet dreams.

 

And btw, GREAT map/diagram...just that alone had me chortling

 

 

gogo

[Knuckles 904]

The increase in sharks here is directly related to the increase in gray seals. The population has exploded in the last few years.

 

Gogo did you know that Jaws was filmed on Martha's Vineyard? One of the islands just below where I live. Couple of my friends were extras. They got to run out of the water when the shark was spotted. I was a bad boy so my parents wouldn't let me go lol. I could have been a movie star

 

 

Edit: wow, the story even made it onto ESPN

http://espn.go.com/action/story/_/id/8222107/man-attacked-shark-surf-cape-cod

[chattius 2,526]

Sharks, bah. We got a way bigger danger in germany. The headline of a newspaper today would translate as:

 

Woman bite by a pike while bathing at a undressed beach

 

 

http://bilder.bild.de/fotos/aaa-hecht-fkk-biss_33065438-1371551264-1-30887812/Bild/3.bild.jpeg

[gogoblender 3,070]

Is that a Pike that was mutated by Radiation?

 

gogo

[chattius 2,526]

Biggest pike ever in the world was in germany, but only around 50 german pounds. Pikes just bite everything that is sparkling: silver painted finger or toe-nails, piercings,...

Good to know when fishing with a rod, just put a girl on the hook

 

At least I don't feel afraid about the pikes which are in the small lakes which store the water in case of the farm or forest burning. Biggest had only 9 pounds the last time I caught it and pu it back in.

[gogoblender 3,070]

lol your description made them sound so fearsome... they kind of remind me of those ichthoysaurs... one of my favorite dinosaurs from the ocean... VERY fearsome.

 

 

gogo