Another couple attacks !!

Blak bart

Blak bart

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wsvn.com

Woman, teen recovering after separate shark attacks off Florida Keys, near Panhandle - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

MIAMI (WSVN) - Two separate shark attacks that took place a day apart off the coast of Florida left a woman and a teenage girl<a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://wsvn.com/news/local/woman-teen-recovering-after-separate-shark-attacks-off-florida-keys-near-panhandle/">Read More</a>
wsvn.com wsvn.com

There was a horrible picture of the keys victim......it was sobering to see !! Be careful and trust your instinct....if it seems dangerous it probably is !! Everybody watch your back, and use the buddy system or you could just disappear !!
 

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newnan man said:
My wife and I swam upon a giant Bull Shark snorkeling at Loe Key. It looked as big as a Cessna airplane. It gave us the evil eye then just drifted away. A bite from that guy would have been fatal. There were silver dollar sized Tarpon scales all over the bottom so he was most likely feeding on migrating Tarpon. That was around 2012. I'm sure he's still out there Bart.
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Your lucky... it was the Tarpon or You.... and the Tarpon was there first.
 

Treasure_Hunter said:
Odds of being involved in a shark attack is 1 in 3.75 million, odds of being kill in auto accident 1 in 107, I would be much more concerned about the ride to the beach than the shark in the water.
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Well let's be fair....I hunt in the water far more than dry sand....I saw a baby lemon shark within 2 feet of me on and off for about 2 hours last week. If you get in the water 25 times a year, and I get in the water 125 times a year (made up numbers) your chances of getting bit are far less than mine !! Very simple to deduce. Then add the fact that for work I often lead groups on dive/snorkel trips, then my odds increase even more....so you see ....none of this is trivial to me at all. Attacks are happening, there happening more often, and it's not just because more people interact at the shoreline. Yes...I agree car's kill more people. But I'm not talking about cars, or drugs overdoses, or shootings....I'm talking about sharks. The law has over protected sharks for years now and the populations are now disproportionate to the eco system....a man made problem !! I commercially fished for sharks for 20 years and participated in much of the research projects that were initiated by the federal government.....we literally took out every expert in the field, and many universities were participated on our boat. National marine fisheries observers rode on our boat tagging, taking samples, and counting numbers 80% of our trips. The facts are clear but not well known because it's bad for Florida touron business. The old one handed brush off of the facts is fine for those of you who rarely metal detect in the water, but for us who do it's an ever present danger that we must respect and be acutely aware of. I can't count how many close calls I've had just metal detecting.....one bull shark encounter will leave you with ptsd for the rest of your life !! And that's with out being bitten.

Now think about this....you shark fish for a living in the Florida keys, and straits of Florida, and much of the time in tropical storm season.....what do you think my odds are of getting bitten by a shark, or struck by lightning 🌩?? Well I've been bitten once, and had at least 3 or 4 more close calls, and our boat has been struck by lightning 4 separate times.....with many other close calls. I've also been hit by 2 water spouts that caused significant damage to the vessel. The whole odds game depends on the numbers that are input to begin with, and some of us have much higher input numbers than the so called "average person"

Last week alone my old boat, run and owned by my high-school buddy, and one of the last big sharking operations caught 3 separate great whites in 3 separate locations in the keys....all tagged and released by national marine fishery observers over a 5 day period .....they were astonished by these numbers.....we've caught them in large numbers for years here in the keys....these interactions and numbers are suppressed by the powers that be and you will never read about them in the press. It's bad for tourist business.

So for me, someone who is in the ocean on an average of twice a week, your statistics and odds game mean nothing !! I have to play my own numbers, and worry about my own chances of getting killed on the way there in my car, getting killed in the water by both sharks and lightning, and all the other hazards involved in what I'm doing IE: intended examples could be stingrays, barracuda, man-o-war, cassiopiea jelly fish, stinging sea nettles, idiot boaters, and yes believe it or not, salt water crocs.....and that's just the obvious. So this thread is not to scare, or intimidate, it's to make people aware that at certain times of the year...mostly summer, your odds are greatly increased of an encounter. The main reason is the seasonal pupping, (live birthing) in shallow water, and migration patterns of pelagic shark species along the shoreline. It's no joke for us that spend more time than most in the ocean !!
 

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Isn't it funny how news like this always has link problems and page cannot be found when you try and share....they don't want you spreading it around so I will screen shot the article.
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This is only 13 hours old and you can't link to it any more !! A strong presence of bull sharks between the shore and first sand bar. Pretty important to know this morning if your headed out.......I'd wager no one even knows what a PURPLE beach flag means ?? It means SHARKS !!
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Use caution when entering the water WTF does that mean ?? They don't want to tell you DONT get in.....then you wouldn't come to the beach and spend your dollars in there town....so use caution ?? Ok....guess I'll tippy toe in, and be real quiet and not splash ?? If there has been a HEAVY presence of BULL sharks spotted I would recommend not getting in at all. Do the dry sand, and have a BBQ.....don't go in the water where there is a heavy presence of the #1 man eating shark .... BULL SHARKS, especially after 3 people have been mauled in the last week !! They just don't want to say that....again it's bad for business.
 

There were 16 recorded shark bites/attacks in Florida
In 2023, out of how many millions of people in the water over the same period.

The only time I usually avoid going in salt water past my midcalf is dawn and dusk, the rest of the time I'm far more concerned about the drive there and back than a shark.

"Florida had the most unprovoked (16) last year. That was slightly below average, but the state's extended coastline and tourism industry makes it the usual contender for the most shark activity, Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Museum of Natural History’s shark research program, told USA TODAY in February."

www.usatoday.com

Shark attacks in Florida, Hawaii lead to closed beaches, hospitalizations: What to know

Shark attacks have been in the news recently with back-to-back attacks in the Florida panhandle and another in Hawaii.
www.usatoday.com
 

Yup....all those numbers are based on statistics....read carefully, the word "likley" is used in all instances!! Not definitely, or definitively. The research on increased numbers of sharks, or times of migrations and birthing is not used....and like I said "they"...Mr. Naylors apprentices, ride on our boat and selectively use the information as they choose....also that is just one of many shark research programs and projects....obviously I will not get political, but there is a dedicated effort by some to keep only partial and selective bits of the the complete information circulating to the public. Believe what you will and proceed at your discretion....I only ask you this question would you get in the water at Panama Beach this morning ? After 3 attacks, purple flags, and a heavy presence of bull sharks, and a warning from police to use caution....imagine the tourist who knows much less than you and I do treasurehunter ?? Do they even realize ? Wouldn't it be safer to close the beaches for some additional days until the coast is clear. The movie jaws portrays this same battle. Open the beaches with air and sea patrols but still risk people's lives for the sake of tourist dollars ?? Sure ... I know it's a movie, but this discussion happens every summer in local governments every year. Again....I have a much better understanding on this subject than 99% of the general public who have not participated in all this research....I've been involved in 75% of the research programs in the shark"industry" for over 20 years. Of coarse increased population, and interaction at the coast line is a contributing factor. Please don't pretend that people like me and others who depend on being in the ocean aren't at higher risk and chance of attack.....I don't pretend to know how much you get in the water, but I'd wager quite a bit of money that my risk of injury from any number of sea born creatures is much higher than yours, and many others that don't enter the water near as much as a select few of us do....I'm telling you that I do know better than you on this subject....take the info as you please, but do not down play my expertise on the subject....this is for the dedicated waterman that work, live, and play in this dynamic environment. Those so called desk jockey, statistical manipulating, experts relied on my expertise for many years of the most critical information that they cherry pick from....it just how it is. Do you think they even have half of the number right....bet they don't want to tell you how many hatien immigrants, and Cuban refugees don't make it here do to sharks? I have seen human remains disgorged from sharks at least a half dozen times....no one reported missing or attacked, so no news is good news. Doesn't even make the press if it's refugees....spend more time in the water, and your chances go up. So for the dedicated underwater treasure hunters and waterman I say don't listen to the desk jockey experts, listen to your years of experience, and your superior knowledge of how,why, and when these creatures work....you folks that get in twice a week or more for work or play....you are the experts....not the thesis paper writers who charter us and the very limited other boats 4 times a year when the weather and conditions are right !! For all of you who point to others work and writing pretending like they are the end all authorities on the subject.....BEWARE!! .... they may not be the experts you think ? Here's just a few questions I get from the quote "experts" when they ride out for research. Bart what type of shark is that, Bart how big do they get, Bart what's the biggest one you've seen, Bart have you ever seen human remains in them, just a few questions you would think the experts would already know. In all honesty there are real experts that come with us and I respect them very much....I ask them technical questions, and they can answer them....that's what makes them experts, and more qualified to make comments than I am !!
 

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I just got back from the exact same spot this guy was attacked at....it is absolutely the most dangerous marina in the islands to work out of....it's also a 100% man made problem!! They have conditioned these sharks to attack anything that hits the water here. Another t-netter lives on this island and works underwater....he has had to stop getting in here because, and I quote "the sharks keep bumping me and have gotten ultra aggressive." So as you see....everyday at least twice a day, I'm at ultra high risk of being killed by these sharks. Once in the morning leaving the dock to fish, and once in the afternoon coming in to dock. There is also a lesser chance every time you get on and off the boat. That's what happened to this guy....slipped between dock an boat, and was attacked and nearly killed. I fish out of here at least 3 weeks a year....sometimes more. Just that fact alone puts my chances tremendously higher than 99.9% of the rest of the population. If you slip and fall....you are a dead man, or an incredibly lucky man to survive. Should I quit my job as an elite fisherman because of this .... NO !! It's the career I chose, and I'm paid well to do it. It's just one factor that I'm trying to point out....there are a select few who are at far higher risk of attack, and some are right here on this particular forum....that is the purpose of the thread....to keep them informed of just exactly what the conditions are like in terms of shark threats at the current moment. A few of us take this info incredibly seriously!! I'm not gonna down play it and pretend the odds for us dedicated waterman are 1 in 3.75 million !! Those numbers are way, way off for us. I found it funny that no one could make solid IDs on the types of sharks that frequent this marina 🤣 everyone was miss identifying these sharks, and labeling them all bull sharks....they know me and I informed them that the mix of sharks here are very large lemons, very large carribean reef shark (some of the largest I've ever seen due to being fed daily), medium size bull sharks, and nurse sharks !! I will down load my gopro footage soon, and show you guys just how aggressive and just how much more danger these beasts present to the few people that have to work here....they constantly try to eat the gopro when put underwater!! I mean no disrespect to the average guy who hits his local beach once In awhile, and those people may indeed only have a 1 in 3.75 million chance....I would say be careful and alert, and don't go in when multiple bull sharks have been spotted the day before in knee deep water....forget being cautious...don't go in...your risking your life....wait a couple days, or a week, and conditions will change and the environment will be much safer.
 

Yup....video unavailable....haaaa so typical
 

 

Some footage of my own from here
 

Another little clip....and I'm not counting any other danger of being maimed by other sea creatures....like blue marlin....this is just risk assessment of shark attack for the average person, and some of us dedicated waterman!! The threat is real and far greater for a few of us here on t-net !! And especially here on the beach and shallow water forum !!
 


And no I'm not spaming my Instagram....I'm sharing video from the only other platform that t-net allows beside YouTube!!
 

I've had a few man shrinking moments in the keys. Once at Loe Key we snorkeld to with in 10 feet of a giant Bull Shark. We were looking down and saw a shadow gliding by. We looked up and this giant shark was just floating there giving us the eye. Another time the White tip sharks were so numerous & seemed aggressive we just got back in the boat.
 

@missouribornandbreed Yes sir .... you enter there world when you enter there habitat, the ocean.....they don't ever enter our world unless by mistake, or forcibly put there by man.

The more you enter there habitat, the better your chances of an encounter. Enter there habitat enough, and you more than likley will have an encounter. Enter there habitat regularly, and your chances of that encounter being an aggressive response are even greater. An encounter and an attack are very different....many people have encounters that are passive, and these passive encounters are much more frequent than an aggressive attack. But just like matches....sooner or later if you keep using matches your probably gonna burn yourself, and sometimes the house goes up in flames, and everyone is killed.

Now back to the nature of this forum...it's beach and shallow water. Those of us who constantly hunt treasures in 1 -6 feet of shallow water are putting ourselves at a higher risk than those that only hunt land, and the dry sand beach. So to keep people aware of the danger of hunting in these shallow water environments/shark habitats its a good idea to know just what's happening at all the locations that are frequently shared by humans and sharks. My fellow shallow water enthusiasts of treasure like to know where the greatest dangers are at particular times of the year....thus avoiding unnecessary encounters when attacks and heavy shark presence is detected. This latest rash of attacks in the panhandle should be a heavy warning to those shallow water enthusiasts to stay away from these beaches and search other shallow water areas where the shark presence is lower, or less threatening of an encounter. Perhaps this information could help someone make a more wise decision as to which shallow water location will be a safer choice. Obviously I would want people in the Panama area, that are not quite aware of this recent dense population of bullsharks and attacks to take note, and possibly hunt treasure elswhere and not take the increased chance of this likley encounter. But I'm not saying they have too....by all means make informed decisions and hunt where you like....I'm just passing the information so the like minded shallow water treasure enthusiasts can make an educated determination of where this threat of encounter is less of a chance, thus less dangerous.
 

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newnan man said:
I've had a few man shrinking moments in the keys. Once at Loe Key we snorkeld to with in 10 feet of a giant Bull Shark. We were looking down and saw a shadow gliding by. We looked up and this giant shark was just floating there giving us the eye. Another time the White tip sharks were so numerous & seemed aggressive we just got back in the boat.
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Yes...white tips can be very aggressive, and should be avoided if possible. Obviously you had the passive encounter, and used better judgment to avoid the possibility of this encounter becoming a more dangerous escalation. This is the point of bringing these attacks/encounters to people's attention. Not here to scare, although that is human nature with this type of information. Here to inform, and possibly warn those who frequent these environments. Obviously the panhandle beaches are at a higher risk right now than other locations due to dense populations of bullsharks....also take note....the bullsharks are the #1 Maneater so double the risk of entering the water with this species....possibly the hunters up there might reconsider there threat assessment for shark encounters with known Maneaters who have attacked there recently, and move down coast away from the heightened chances of an encounter there, to less threatening shallow water areas where sharks are not being regularly encountered and sighted at the moment.....or not...that's up to them and there comfort level and confidence sharing the environment/habitat with these instinct driven creatures 😉 🤔 🫡
 

missouribornandbreed said:
Like I said before I live in Missouri. Never seen a shark but when we enter their habitats aren’t we asking for trouble.
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Always good if your going to enter these habitats to be informed of the current threat level....from there those of us who choose to take the risk have the best information.....it is dangerous in the panhandle of Florida right now because of a large body of bull sharks close to shore. They are still in the area as of yesterday and everyone should be aware of an added threat level at these locations.
 

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