What is the deal? I have been planning a vacation to this great place.. Image Unavailable, Please Login
It is in the panhandle. A bull shark killed a 14 year old last week. We get some shark bites on the east coast mostly during rough surf conditions and less than clear water. In the Palm Beach County area, there have been about 50 reported shark attackes in the past 100 years or so. BT
I dunno. It's the ocean... sharks live there. Not sure why anyone is surprised by this. I saw some statistics a few years ago during the big 'summer of sharks' that said that shark attacks didn't increase much, only the sensationalized news coverage. Everyone's looking for a crisis these days. -R
2004 there were 30 shark attacks on FL coasts. It seems to be a place where attacks happen often because there is a lot of coast & a lot of people in the water, Duh I dont go in the Ocean unless I have dive gear & at least a BIGASS knife w me becus I dont like being on the menu
WRONG! "There were 12 shark attacks on Florida beaches in 2004, down sharply from 30 in 2003." CNN Online (today) You have a far better chance of getting hit by lighting in FL then ever being bitten by a Shark. "The highest death rates from lightning in the United States are in Florida, which is known as the lightning capital of the country. According to the service, from 1959 to 2003 lightning killed 3,696 people in the United States. Of those, 425 were in the Sunshine State. (The only state that did not record a lightning death in the period was Alaska). Lightning has injured at least 2,000 people in Florida since 1959." Come to FL but stay out of the water and stay inside!
The past two cases where beyond stupid to me 14 yr old girls 250 yards off shore, where the water suddenly goes deep and is a perfect spot for sharks to ambush fish swimming overhead. The next case the 16yr old boy who had his leg amputated, he was fishing with shrimp in chest high water, why ? he attracted the shark with live bait and was chest high water without the possibility of escape. I think everyone should realize the ocean has sharks and all you have to do is use common sense. Swimming areas should be netted off for small children, other areas are your own risk. There is also many bull sharks and hammer head sharks near pompano beach and Miami, just not many encounters, that is why we don't have very much media coverage.
i was at panama city beach two days before these attacks happened. let me tell you....panama city beach is pretty nasty right now. its all under construction, and its not a very pretty place. we ended up staying in destin.(which is a much nicer beach, but a girl was killed their too). i suggest going to another beach....maybe clearwater.
From what I have heard form the news and scientists is that sharks are only supposed to bite you once and leave you alone. The shark that killed that 14 year old girl came out her 5 times!! Its a shame.
Not to "nerd-ify" myself, but I was watching Shark Week once, and they were saying how Florida is the shark attack capital of the world. Can YOU think of anywhere else where there's that much coast, and that many people? Ok, I just did... California, but hey. I guess their water is cold, so a lot of people don't go in the water??? To put it in perspective, deer are responsible for more deaths to humans than sharks, bears, and some other animal (lions? tigers? snakes?) combined. I guess the useless fact is less useless when all the parts aren't there.
LOL, yeah a deer will mess up your day. On the way to Watkins Glen in 1990, I was driving rapidly through the mountains in Pennsylvania when I came around a corner and a deer that was bigger than my car was standing in the road. If I had hit it, it would have been a nasty scene. Fortunately, I jogged left and he went right but it was still close. The other hazards in the water are sting rays. They are common in the St. Pete area during late summer and they tell everyone to do the "Sting Ray Shuffle" when walking in the water. These pesky little critters blend in perfectly with the sand and if you step on them, deliver quite a sting. This happened to me at Pass-A-Grille Beach and I may say, it is the most painful thing I've ever experienced (Broken ribs? Ha!). The thing hit me in the heel and it felt as though a roofing nail had been driven into it, creating a perfectly round wound which is still visable. The concern at the emergency room was if the barb broke off inside my heel. Fortunately it didnt but if it had, it would have been a minor surgical procedure to remove it and, if it gets into the blood stream, youre in real trouble. BHW
Am i right in thinking that Canada has the most coastline of any country in the world ? Obviously not the amount of people though ! Plus i thought SA was the worst place for Shark Attacks. I have done a lot of diving with sharks (not yet Great White but very soon) and find them to be amazing , awe inspiring creatures. Seeing one in the wild is just an amazing site. As many people have said, it is us going into their habitat, not the other way around. Bit of common sense and respect and you'll be fine. The only shark that may attack you for attack sake is a Tiger, the rest its mistaken indentity, but that rarely happens ! If your in the water where you know sharks are, take the appropriate precautions or stay well away from the water !
Sharks! Wait to you find out about "Sea Lice" which is something you pick up in the water on the east coast of FL. Take my advise above.....when it comes to sea lice!
I've lived in FL for 25 years on the east coast. Never had an incident on the east coast, but have had the most unfortunate displeasure of being stung by a sting ray off of Long Boat and a salt water catfish off of Captiva. Both hurt like crazy and take a really long time to heal. Pretty much can ruin a vacation.
That is how we on the FL West Coast keep all you on the FL East coast from moving here. SEA LICE: For the past 11 years, during the months of March through August, residents and tourists along 250 miles of Florida's southern Atlantic coastline have complained of an annoying pruritic rash, primarily within areas covered by bathing suits. Although this problem has existed since the early 1900s at least, it has not been formally recognized and understood until recently. The first study (a retrospective case review of ED cases seen during 1992) and a sample population survey were conducted at Boca Raton Community Hospital. The outbreaks appear to have intensified in the last 4 years, as reflected in the number of cases reported as well as the severity of response in individual cases. Because most affected people treat themselves, it is difficult to determine the total annual number of cases. However, a conservative estimate of 10,000 cases in 1992 can be made. A sample population surey of 1433 persons who went swimming within the apparent geographic center of the outbreaks indicated that one of every four persons that went swimming had the dermatitis. Because the Sunshine State has a significant tourist population, people who have the rash return to their respective states or countries, seeking follow-up care from their local health care facilities. This has prompted calls to Florida's Public Health Offices and emergency departments, requesting information as to the origins of the rash and recommendations for treatment. Many persons expressed confusion and fear that they had contracted a communicable disease, such as venereal disease, chickenpox, or measles. More: http://www.fau.edu/safe/sea-lice.html
The lakes in Florida arent much better. They say that there is at least one alligator living in every named body of water (who knows how many living in unnamed bodies) and of course there are the water moccasins which as a kid in Sebring, I used to run across fairly regularly. BHW
Oceans are far better for swimming, diving and enjoying them swimming pools. Using common sense, will help you avoid sharks and other ocean creators 99.9% of the time.
Maybe once the 308's done you will have more time to get to the beach.... come on in.... the waters fine..... actually I don't mind the water, its all the damn sand that drives me crazy. It's in the car weeks after you clean it!!!
I see alligators all the time in the lakes here in central Florida, but it doesn't keep me from tubing and water skiing. Some small girl was killed by an alligator in one of the lakes I ski in. There are many alligators on my college campus, too! (University of Florida, our mascot is the Al the alligator). I even work in a lab where we raise alligators and dissect them to run tests on their tissues. My name is Al, too! It was meant to be, lol.
