Shark Attacks In South Walton

[Beacher]

Anyone seen any sharks attack or be aggressive in South Walton 30A? A friend told me about 15 years ago he was in a kayak and a shark (probably bull shark which are known to be about the only sometimes aggressive sharks around here) charges and bit at his boat. Scared the crap out of him so much he never went back out.

This article got me thinking about it.

Top five shark facts from a UF shark expert

While it may seem there are more shark sightings - and shark attacks - than usual, a University of Florida shark expert says that's a misleading perception.

news.ufl.edu

• This year is no different than any other in terms of shark bites, the world is on track to have a “normal” number of shark bites.
• 60% of shark bites take place in areas with low visibility. Sharks don't target humans, so nearly every bite is due to mistaken identity. Like us, sharks can't see very well in murky water.
• There are more than 530 different species of sharks. Some lay eggs. Others give birth to live young. There are even some shark species that nourish their young by placenta, like humans do.
• Some species of sharks have the capacity for trans-oceanic travel but return to the same locations each time they give birth. In this sense they are like turtles.
• Sharks have existed for 400 million years, yet they have unusually low mutation rates relative to other vertebrate animals.

 

[Will B]

We don't get any more or any less than what is considered "average", IMHO. 2005 was a bad year with two fatal shark attacks...one in Miramar Beach and the other in Cape San Blas. Both were confirmed bull sharks in low visibility conditions.

Back when I used to fly a lot I was always amazed at how many sharks you could see from 500 feet. Lots! The people who go in the water, here, are blissfully unaware which is fine. There are always sharks nearby just happy being sharks.

 

[Matt J]

We also have hammerheads which are nasty too.

 

[dcgoz]

I had one very interested in a couple of specs I had dangling off my kayak a few years ago when fishing Hogtown Bayou. Seen several ranging from 2-5 feet out around the 2nd sandbar on my paddleboard but never any that were aggressive. I think the fatalities have all been from blood loss. i.e., bite and release. We're too bony for sharks taste. I'm more concerned about getting hit by a golf cart or texting driver than I am about sharks.

 

[SG320]

Absolutely! The golf cart drivers are the most dangerous thing on 30A!

 

[BlaineAtk]

I do a good amount of Freedive Spearfishing locally and I can tell you that I see sharks almost every dive.

With that said, there is a bit of reasoning that I would see them as I am in the water and shooting fish which then go into panic mode so it definitely rings a dinner bell.

In the 16 years I have been spearfishing this area, I have had a few aggressive sharks come after us.

I have been spearing in several other places around the world as well and I can say that I see more sharks along the gulf coast than other locales that I have dove.

Still have all my fingers and toes so I guess it isnt that bad.