Florida beaches on high alert for shark migration

[kelemvor]

Florida beaches on high alert for shark migration

Beaches along the southern coast of Florida are on high alert after sharks were spotted near shore as part of their annual migration.Many beaches had red flags flying on Thursday morning to alert people, but some beaches had reopened.

Sharks were spotted near three beaches in Palm Beach County on Wednesday, but they had reopened on Thursday morning, The Palm Beach Post reported. However, Steve Kaes, a lifeguard training officer, told the paper that he couldn't guarantee that the beaches would remain open throughout the day. If someone spotted a shark, swimmers would be asked to come out of the water, he said.

So.... I've got my first ocean dive trip scheduled for 3/22-3/24. Palm Beach, boat drift dives and Blue Heron bridge. Of course, I bet some of you will want to go BECAUSE of this. Others, would you guys cancel/reschedule or do you think the sharks will have thinned out in two weeks? I wouldn't mind seeing one or two sharks - but it sounds like the place is just absolutely infested with big ones right now.

 

[wedivebc]

I would absolutely go due to the shark migration. What many people don't realize is sharks have a very basic food vs not food identification process. If you are not splashing on the suface looking like a wounded seal or dragging a stringer of bloody fish you just speared you are not on the menu and will enjoy the dive of your life.
Have fun and don't worry. Bring a slow swimming buddy with you

 

[dumpsterDiver]

some video I posted from a year ago..

[video=youtube;tVA3EbhcAbI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVA3EbhcAbI&feature=share&list=UU1utDku8vJ RJYgBZImLyLJQ[/video]

 

[diversteve]

Blacktips and Spinners aren't exactly much of a threat - or exactly "big ones".
Blacktip:

It usually attains a length of 1.5 m (4.9 ft). Swift, energetic piscivores, blacktip sharks are known to make spinning leaps out of the water

Spinner:

This species can be distinguished from the blacktip shark by the first dorsal fin, which has a different shape and is placed further back, and by the black tip on the anal fin (in adults only). It attains a maximum length of 3 m (10 ft). Spinner sharks are swift and gregarious predators that feed on a wide variety of small bony fishes and cephalopods.This species is not usually dangerous to humans but may become belligerent when excited by food.

I'm in the Because of this category.

Now if you see any big ones like this with stripes down their sides... (you probably won't)

 

[Scott L]

They are always here in the winter months as this story indicates. When schools of Spanish Mackerel and other favorite fish run, they move closer to the shore. It is a really a rush to jet ski over a dense school of sharks. Charter boats operate normally in these periods...

Two Palm Beach County beaches temporarily close because of... | www.palmbeachpost.com

 

[SandyBramm]

Hello,
You should plan your trip as scheduled, every year, and I mean EVERY year the media makes a big deal about this. Truth is the sharks are no danger to us as divers at all. I've been running a charter operation here for the past 8 years, and several years before that I worked for other operations, and even farther back..I was stationed here in the Coast Guard. These smaller species sharks come by the hundreds, and they frequent the shallower water along the beach. Makes for a great media event and "eye/ear" catcher to get everyone's attention. Truth is though, most divers don't even see any of them, because we are diving out farther on the reef. We will take our boat in along the beach to look for them, and it is very cool to see the Spinner Sharks jumping. They are not "man-eating" hungry sharks on the hunt, it's just their normal behavior that has occured for years, I have never heard or known of even a single diver getting bit. Come on down and enjoy your weekend, we've got amazing marine life.

 

[Scott L]

Thanks Sandy!

 

[sitges]

I will be diving WPB March 22nd. and would love to see this. Will they have all passed by, by this time

 

[Scott L]

I will be diving WPB March 22nd. and would love to see this. Will they have all passed by, by this time

It doesn't really matter. You will not be able to see a fraction of our great diving in one trip...

Jupiter Dive Center-What you will see diving in Jupiter - YouTube

 

[Arubandi07]

They are always here in the winter months as this story indicates. When schools of Spanish Mackerel and other favorite fish run, they move closer to the shore. It is a really a rush to jet ski over a dense school of sharks. Charter boats operate normally in these periods...

Two Palm Beach County beaches temporarily close because of... | www.palmbeachpost.com

Niiice, ... I'm sure the Sharks like nothing better than gettin' buzzed by a jet ski or two ...