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09/07/2013 - John Graham - Florida

Recent Shark Attacks in 2013 and 2013 Shark Attacks and Related Incidents
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alb
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Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:41 pm

Re: 09/07/2013 - John Graham - Florida

Post by alb »

New Smyrna Beach resident John Graham has the imprint of where a shark clamped down on him over the weekend, but he doesn’t blame the shark.

Graham, 43, was surfing with his son Saturday when he jumped off his surfboard — and right onto a 3- to 4-foot-long shark that promptly sunk its teeth into his foot.

“It was kind of like stepping on your dog when getting out of bed. It nips at you,” he said by telephone Monday morning. “It happened because I jumped on him.”

Graham was one of two people to encounter the toothy creatures about 3:50 p.m. Saturday south of Ponce de Leon Inlet in New Smyrna Beach, bringing the number of bites to six so far this year in Volusia County waters. A Seabreeze football player was bitten on the shoulder while swimming off Ormond Beach on Sept. 2 and another bite occurred there in May. The remaining bites, including Saturday’s, have been reported near the inlet.

A few hundred feet from where Graham was surfing on Saturday, Oviedo resident Marco Edmundo Cardiel said he was standing in waist deep water with friends, when a 3- to 4-foot gray shark swam up and bit him on the shin. The shark thrashed for a few seconds, then released Cardiel’s leg, according to the Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue report.

“A tooth was sticking out of my leg,” the 25-year-old man said. “An X-ray showed a couple of fragments (in the wound) that they could not get out.”

Both men were treated and released from Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach Saturday.

While Cardiel told beach safety officers he saw the dorsal fin and tail of the shark that bit him for a few seconds, Graham said he never saw his shark. “But I have a full impression of his mouth on my foot,” he said.

Purple flags were flying last week warning beach-goers there were dangerous marine creatures in area waters as schools of bait fish were reported to have attracted predators close to shore. The schools of bait fish are believed to have contributed to bites both Sept. 2 and Saturday, said Beach Safety spokeswoman Capt. Tammy Marris.

Purple flags were not flying Monday.

“We fly them based on what we see out there,” she said.

Neither Cardiel nor Graham said they saw any bait fish swimming near them before they were bit. Neither victim said they had seen or paid attention to the flags or numerous media reports about sharks feeding.

“There were a lot of people in the water (nearby),” Cardiel said.

Graham said if he had seen signs of bait in the area, such as diving birds, he would not have gone in the water.

Both men said they had only been in the ocean for a short time — 5 minutes for Cardiel and 10 minutes for Graham — before they encountered a shark.

Graham and Cardiel said Saturday’s experience will not keep them out of the ocean in the future.

But Cardiel said he will likely go to a different beach and “(the scar) is something I will carry with me forever.”

Not Graham, though.

“The first hurricane swell I will be back out there,” Graham said.

Source: news-journalonline
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alb
Posts: 1569
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:41 pm

09/07/2013 - John Graham - Florida

Post by alb »

About one minute later, a 43-year-old New Smyrna Beach man who was surfing about 100 yards away was bitten as well. His bite was on his foot, Marris said.


2 shark bites reported in New Smyrna Beach

Two men suffered shark bites in New Smyrna Beach on Saturday as purple flags warned beachgoers about dangerous marine life and swarming bait fish.

The bites happened within a minute and less than 100 yards apart, said Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue spokeswoman, Capt. Tammy Marris.

Although the bait fish themselves are not a threat to swimmers, the abundance of food draws in large predators who eat them.

The first victim was a 25-year-old Oviedo man. He was swimming in waist-deep water just before 4 p.m. when he was bitten on his shin.

About one minute later, a 43-year-old New Smyrna Beach man who was surfing about 100 yards away was bitten as well. His bite was on his foot, Marris said.

Pictures: Greek life scandals at UCF

While there is no way to know for sure, Marris said, the same shark likely attacked both men.

Less than a week ago, a 17-year-old Daytona Beach boy was bitten on the shoulder in Ormond Beach. With the two new reports, Volusia County, known as the shark-bite capital of the world, is up to six reported incidents this year.

Last year, eight bites were reported at Volusia beaches.

In Saturday's cases, both men suffered only minor injuries and were treated at the beach. Neither needed to be rushed to a hospital.

The purple flags will likely continue to fly today if the bait fish have not moved on, Marris said.

Anyone willing to brave the threat of sharks will see beautiful skies along the coast Sunday morning. The high will be near 87 with a low of 75.

Chances of rain are slim — only about 20 percent. Head to the beach early if you want clear skies. The worst weather isn't expected until after 1 p.m.

This evening should be cloudy but dry. But going for a quick nighttime dip is not a good idea.

Sharks are naturally more active at night, and with an abundance of bait fish swimming nearby, it increases the chances that you may be mistaken for food.

Source: orlandosentinel
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