"According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the first report came from a driver stopped at a stop sign. The witness said they saw a shark breach the water with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth. The witness then saw the shark submerge below the waterline and not resurface....."
Sitting at a stop sign and seeing a person actively being eaten mid air has got to be #1 on the some wild ass shit chart. What do you even do in that situation? (Contact the Coast Guard it would seem)
What is terrifying is the odds of both people encountering these situations. Such a small percentage of people are actually attacked by a shark and put into their jaws. This driver saw the shark with a person in its jaws. How close was the stop sign?
Right? Thatâs the part of the story I found the most shocking. Imagine youâre sitting at a stop sign and you glance at the ocean and see that. It would feel like a hallucination. Poor driver will have nightmares after that.
This is my area. I swim and SUP at this beach. Itâs incredibly beautiful, glassy AF, and known for sharks. The lady that was allegedly eaten was part of the kelp krawlers, an open water swim group that meets on Sundays. A few years ago, another krawler was attacked near the same area. From what I can gather is that she swam out to the actual tip of lovers point and that specific area is a known âside streetâ on the GW migration highway⊠lots of sea lions.
The Simon Nellist was labeled "provoked" by the International Shark Attack File because there were shoreline fisherman in the area. A poster above cited this area as "a kelp area...(a) known predatory zone"...so perhaps it could similarly called provoked.
I say this as someone who thinks sharks are ace: the idea that one of the world's best predators with one of the best body systems doesn't occasionally think a human will do for lunch is laughable. It makes sense that they'd hunt us occasionally, albeit rarely.Â
Tragic, terrifying, and hopefully quick.
Definitely sounds like a predation & consumption event involving a large GWS from the various tidbits of information we have so far: classic GWS hunting strategy and within its hunting grounds.
I have to say its shocking to how reluctant news outlets are to label this a shark attack! Calling it an âencounterâ makes it sound like the shark bumped into her on a crowded BART platform or something.
From the LA times article:
âThe person who reported the shark sighting claimed they saw a shark breach the water with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth,â Anderson told SFGate. âThey then witnessed the shark submerge below the waterline without resurfacing.â Anderson said he can confirm reports of a shark sighting in the area but there is no evidence the missing swimmer was attacked by a shark, SFGate reported.â
If there is an eyewitness saying they saw a shark submerge with her in its jaws and the authorities can confirm a shark sighting, what more evidence do they need!?
Reminds me of the loss of Felix Njai in 2023: the man was similarly last seen in the jaws of a huge white shark by a friends, they didnt find any remains afaik, and his death is still attributed to a âreportedâ shark attack. Can someone tell me if this is about insurance or something?? Does the coroner need shark-bitten flesh in order for a shark predation event with witnesses to become legit?
Right? Itâs a bit ridiculous. The group of swimmers she was in came ashore due to a large splash. Someone literally witnessed the shark take her and there are confirmed witnesses, plural. And yet:
âAnderson said he can confirm reports of a shark sighting in the area but there is no evidence the missing swimmer was attacked by a shark, SFGate reported.â
No evidence? What is this, Amityville? It seems disingenuous to claim there is no evidence when there is seemingly an abundance of evidence that a shark took her.
Itâs a legal and clarity thing, if thereâs no official cause of death or confirmation of what happened yet, theyâre going to use âreportedâ and not âconfirmedâ
Thatâs how u avoid legal issues if u turn out to be wrong in some way, or the witness isnât credible etc- make sure itâs not you the paper claiming anything, itâs the witness who is
As for evidence, I assume they mean physical evidence (like remains, video, etc).
Eyewitness testimony can be quite weak legally speaking, that may be their basis for wording
Eyewitness testimony also requires evaluation of whether the witness & testimony itself are likely to be credible in order to be considered useable evidence, which media/papers arenât likely to know a verdict on yet
Thanks for the update! Unfortunately these links are geo-protected and show no content for some. Could you add snippets from the text or archived links for non-locals?
Here you go:
âAuthorities on Monday afternoon suspended the search for a swimmer reported missing off Lovers Point after an extensive, multi-agency effort spanning more than 15 hours.
The swimmer was identified as Erica Fox, 55, a Monterey County resident and co-founder of the local open water swimming group Kelp Krawlers. Her family has been notified, officials said.
The search, led by the U.S. Coast Guard and supported by local and county agencies, covered more than 84 square nautical miles before the decision was made to suspend operations.â
The article continues
âThe swimmer, later identified Fox, had entered the water with members of her swimming group at their usual spot and time.
A witness on the shoreline reported seeing a âlarge splash" when Fox disappeared, police told KSBW, which caused the other swimmers to return to shore "out of concern it may have been a shark attack. Everyone in the group returned safely except the missing swimmer."
U.S. Coast Guard Officer Christopher Sappey reported that one witness described seeing a frightening encounter between a person in the water and a shark.
"The person who reported the shark sighting claimed they saw a shark breach the water with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth," Sappey told SF Gate. "They then witnessed the shark submerge below the waterline without resurfacing."
The International Shark Attack File has put forth strict rules on what constitutes a shark attack. Disappearance at sea does not qualify, even if sharks are seen in the area. Wouldn't want shark attack stats to be any higher than they have to be, right? -- so the argument goes.
That makes sense and is appreciable. We certainly do not want to see sharks needlessly blamed. A good example would be that kid who fell off the boat in the Bahamas, there was wild speculation involving sharks. However, in this particular instance, eye witnesses literally saw the person attacked and taken by a shark. What are the rules? That a body showing evidence of shark attack must be recovered?
It's complicated. You probably need several witnesses, maybe a few people, who witnessed an attack for a definitive Yes ruling. We have one person who saw a splash and another who said they saw--it might seem wild to some--a shark launch out of the water from below holding a person in its jaws. At least that is what some reports say. Maybe there is skepticism.
Iâm not sure how long these things take to be published on The International Stack Attack File, perhaps this one will actually make it and is still being investigated and processed. Or perhaps there are not enough credible, independent witnesses. I had a look for the criteria on their site and couldnât find it. I guess they are open to any and all reports but not all are fully logged in the end.
I think itâs also often the case that the media reports dribs and drabs of information it manages to collect (or is given a rather cut-and-dry âofficialâ statement) but people at the scene have quite a different experience of events. I saw a particularly shocking one on Reddit in which the media reported the disappearance of a woman near Tiger Beach mentioning a suspected shark attack and not much else. However, someone on Reddit claiming to be the mother of one of the guide divers shared their sonâs harrowing and highly detailed account of this woman being eaten in front of a whole group of divers and it was utterly chilling. Of course we have no idea if it was bonafide or someoneâs creative writing project as is always the issue!
This reminds me of the point Reyes attack in 2023. There were witnesses but I donât believe it was ever counted as an official shark attack. They never found that manâs remains.
I imagine there is a legal formality which involves a part of the corpse needing to be being retrieved for the coroner to be able to officially record a cause of death.
i know her
she works at a shop i frequent and she was the kindest woman, this one is sad and very close to home , my brother swims with her on Sundays there, could have happened to him
Iâm really sorry to hear. Itâs a tragedy in every sense of the word, she seemed like a very important pillar of her community.
Itâs probably not much of a consolation, but if thereâs ever a way to go, doing what you love to the last moment has a silver lining to it somewhere. Know what I mean?
Wishing you and your brother some peace and clarity in this time, be patient and understanding towards yourselves as you come to terms with what all transpired this week. Itâs just an unfathomable tragedy.
Thereâs a community beach, park, pool, and snack bar there (or there was). It was a community gathering spot and shark attacks are so rare that itâs not something you focused on. Lots of surfers in the cove too. You can easily shore dive with SCUBA gear from the beach. So from a water user/community use POV, itâs a great place.
Actually, this was the fourth attack at lover's point since June 2022! Steve Bruemmer (a member of kelp krawlers) was attacked while swimming at lover's point on June 22nd 2022.
Well then you definitely canât say this victim didnât understand there were sharks present. Obviously we can still feel terrible for her, but she clearly wanted to be in that water despite knowing the risks.
I believe some peopleâs minds just work differently. I understand the odds are low but absolutely cherish the fact than my odds are so much closer to absolute zero due to never swimming in the the sea, let alone waters where I know Whites frequent.
I just couldnât enjoy myself for a millisecond without having the possibility on my mind, no matter how slim. Every weird wave, every ripple, a piece of kelp brushing against my leg, every shadow. Iâm laying in bed with my legs instinctively snatched up just thinking about it and donât feel like Iâm missing a thing by avoiding the powerful, mysterious ocean. Give me a nice clear swimming pool any day of the week.
That being said, I did go on an expedition to see Whites via boat and was far less nervous even though my risks were a bit above zero that day. I absolutely loved it but my knuckles were white holding on to that boat when taking pics haha
Iâm with you here. I love the ocean but have a healthy fear of it as well. I love fishing inshore, on a boat. I love on the Gulf of Mexico so big bull shark territory. I used to love hanging out on Robinson island in orange beach Alabama just floating my happy ass around, knowing full well that the mobile bay is literally a bull shark nursery. So the way I moved that thought to the back was with alcohol. Lots of alcohol lol. Now Iâm sober, and I keep my toes on the boat. The thought of a bull shark getting me is terrifying. And thereâs a very good chance I was within 100ft of one many times while my fat ass was bobbing around that island.
Oh yeah, believe me I know! Iâm a marine biologist (well I have a bachelors degree in it but just did it for fun, I never actually practiced or worked after school), and went to school down here. All of my marine education was out of dauphin island Alabama and of course we love our estuary and delta system!
Iâve been snorkelling in the ocean myself in great location, really enjoyed the experience, in full knowledge there would not be dangerous predators around
Like you I would just be so incredibly paranoid being in great white habitat.
Itâs not even like hiking in grizzly bear country. Atleast you could see it coming and be able to arm yourself with bear spray or a gun. Youâre completely at the mercy of nature when swimming here a great white could attack you and youâre completely defenseless
Not been to this place specifically, but my approach has always been no surfing, no surface swimming past the shallows, no night dives in coastal areas heavily hunted by white sharks (eg very close to pinniped colonies).
Otherwise tho, I find ur much more aware and able to survey surroundings in relatively clear water while diving, even when there are white sharks in the area. If u have a dive buddy watching ur back thatâs reassuring too
Itâs one thing to be in an area with white sharks passing through, whole different beast if itâs an established hunting ground with pinnipeds, particularly if the water is very turbid and visibility is low.
Sharks are always around when ur in the ocean, mostly they arenât interested in u and u wonât see them. Best practice is just to avoid higher risk areas and behaviours, and donât go alone
White sharks pass by NJ on their way to Cape Cod, where they now hang out and feast all summer. No attacks in NJ in about 100 years. Many people won't swim at the Cape anymore.
I live on the east coast, and we vacation every summer at a beach on the coast of SC. There are bull, tiger, and even a few great whites in the area at any time. There have been attacks very near to where we go. We swim out into pretty deep water. We just make sure to stay away from piers or other places people are fishing, and donât swim at dawn or dusk. We love the ocean, but there is definitely a suspension of reality when weâre in the water. Itâs their home, weâre just visiting. Thereâs always a chance, but a lot of people will take it because they enjoy swimming/surfing/diving so much.
It may be cold, but I sure do love the Great Lakes. I'm from the Bahamas and as much as I love diving and being in the ocean, I'd prefer to be in the boat in the ocean and swim in freshwater
This is so sad.. poor woman đ But can a aussie please explain to me (as somebody from a country that has a cow as the most dangerous animal đ ) why do people swim in water that has great whites.. I know small chance, but still not zero chance. Not victim blaming just really wondering..
She was part of a group that did swims three times a week. Many of their members even did really big swims across the entire Monterrey Bay. It was clearly something she loved doing and found joy and community in.
Her last Facebook post was a photo of a shark and a human swimming next to each other with the caption â This is the most DANGEROUS ANIMAL in the world, and by his side, a SHARK swims peacefullyâ. Gave me goosebumps when I realized that was her last post. Super unfortunate that this happened.
Monterey Bay aquarium did house the ONLY great white shark in captivity when I visited there years and years ago...sounds like they've returned to get their revenge unfortunatelyÂ
"According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the first report came from a driver stopped at a stop sign. The witness said they saw a shark breach the water with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth. The witness then saw the shark submerge below the waterline and not resurface....."
Terrifying.
Sitting at a stop sign and seeing a person actively being eaten mid air has got to be #1 on the some wild ass shit chart. What do you even do in that situation? (Contact the Coast Guard it would seem)
What is terrifying is the odds of both people encountering these situations. Such a small percentage of people are actually attacked by a shark and put into their jaws. This driver saw the shark with a person in its jaws. How close was the stop sign?
There are several within 100 yards of Lovers Point
Thanks for that insight.
Right? Thatâs the part of the story I found the most shocking. Imagine youâre sitting at a stop sign and you glance at the ocean and see that. It would feel like a hallucination. Poor driver will have nightmares after that.
I totally agree. People would assume the driver was hallucinating if divers werenât in the water.
Humans are literally swimming in their kitchen
This is my area. I swim and SUP at this beach. Itâs incredibly beautiful, glassy AF, and known for sharks. The lady that was allegedly eaten was part of the kelp krawlers, an open water swim group that meets on Sundays. A few years ago, another krawler was attacked near the same area. From what I can gather is that she swam out to the actual tip of lovers point and that specific area is a known âside streetâ on the GW migration highway⊠lots of sea lions.
That gives me so much anxiety reading that holy shit
Wow, sounds incredibly dangerous.
Thanks for the info, I couldn't imagine open swimming il a kelp area. These are known predatory zone.
Thank you for the information. I've splashed with the kids on the cove and was trying to visualize where she musy have been when the attack happened.
Like 4 shark attacks in that area in the last 5 years
That link doesnât work for me. Sounds like a great white breaching the surface , stealth attack
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-12-22/shark-attack-feared-after-swimmer-goes-missing-off-monterey-bay-coast
Sounds similar to witness accounts in the Simon Nellist attack in Sydney.
The Simon Nellist was labeled "provoked" by the International Shark Attack File because there were shoreline fisherman in the area. A poster above cited this area as "a kelp area...(a) known predatory zone"...so perhaps it could similarly called provoked.
I say this as someone who thinks sharks are ace: the idea that one of the world's best predators with one of the best body systems doesn't occasionally think a human will do for lunch is laughable. It makes sense that they'd hunt us occasionally, albeit rarely.Â
Tragic, terrifying, and hopefully quick. Definitely sounds like a predation & consumption event involving a large GWS from the various tidbits of information we have so far: classic GWS hunting strategy and within its hunting grounds. I have to say its shocking to how reluctant news outlets are to label this a shark attack! Calling it an âencounterâ makes it sound like the shark bumped into her on a crowded BART platform or something. From the LA times article: âThe person who reported the shark sighting claimed they saw a shark breach the water with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth,â Anderson told SFGate. âThey then witnessed the shark submerge below the waterline without resurfacing.â Anderson said he can confirm reports of a shark sighting in the area but there is no evidence the missing swimmer was attacked by a shark, SFGate reported.â If there is an eyewitness saying they saw a shark submerge with her in its jaws and the authorities can confirm a shark sighting, what more evidence do they need!? Reminds me of the loss of Felix Njai in 2023: the man was similarly last seen in the jaws of a huge white shark by a friends, they didnt find any remains afaik, and his death is still attributed to a âreportedâ shark attack. Can someone tell me if this is about insurance or something?? Does the coroner need shark-bitten flesh in order for a shark predation event with witnesses to become legit?
It BREACHED with her body in its mouth? Brutal. Insane way to go getting done like a seal
Right? Itâs a bit ridiculous. The group of swimmers she was in came ashore due to a large splash. Someone literally witnessed the shark take her and there are confirmed witnesses, plural. And yet:
âAnderson said he can confirm reports of a shark sighting in the area but there is no evidence the missing swimmer was attacked by a shark, SFGate reported.â
No evidence? What is this, Amityville? It seems disingenuous to claim there is no evidence when there is seemingly an abundance of evidence that a shark took her.
I think you mean Amity Island lol. Unless she was attacked by Robert DeFeo Jr
LOL!!! I did indeed mean Amity Island but I love the reference
Now yâall are invoking Ghost SharkâŠ
Itâs a legal and clarity thing, if thereâs no official cause of death or confirmation of what happened yet, theyâre going to use âreportedâ and not âconfirmedâ
Thatâs how u avoid legal issues if u turn out to be wrong in some way, or the witness isnât credible etc- make sure itâs not you the paper claiming anything, itâs the witness who is
As for evidence, I assume they mean physical evidence (like remains, video, etc).
Eyewitness testimony can be quite weak legally speaking, that may be their basis for wording
Eyewitness testimony also requires evaluation of whether the witness & testimony itself are likely to be credible in order to be considered useable evidence, which media/papers arenât likely to know a verdict on yet
Most recent update is now calling the tragedy a âreportedâ shark attack. https://www.ksbw.com/article/identify-missing-woman-shark-lovers-point/69843030
I must assume they are looking to find physical evidence before adding this to the stats. My heart goes out to the family & community involved.
They're probably worried an innocent shark might file a defamation suit if she turns up later.
Thanks for the update! Unfortunately these links are geo-protected and show no content for some. Could you add snippets from the text or archived links for non-locals?
Here you go: âAuthorities on Monday afternoon suspended the search for a swimmer reported missing off Lovers Point after an extensive, multi-agency effort spanning more than 15 hours. The swimmer was identified as Erica Fox, 55, a Monterey County resident and co-founder of the local open water swimming group Kelp Krawlers. Her family has been notified, officials said. The search, led by the U.S. Coast Guard and supported by local and county agencies, covered more than 84 square nautical miles before the decision was made to suspend operations.â The article continues âThe swimmer, later identified Fox, had entered the water with members of her swimming group at their usual spot and time. A witness on the shoreline reported seeing a âlarge splash" when Fox disappeared, police told KSBW, which caused the other swimmers to return to shore "out of concern it may have been a shark attack. Everyone in the group returned safely except the missing swimmer." U.S. Coast Guard Officer Christopher Sappey reported that one witness described seeing a frightening encounter between a person in the water and a shark. "The person who reported the shark sighting claimed they saw a shark breach the water with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth," Sappey told SF Gate. "They then witnessed the shark submerge below the waterline without resurfacing."
Thank you!
The International Shark Attack File has put forth strict rules on what constitutes a shark attack. Disappearance at sea does not qualify, even if sharks are seen in the area. Wouldn't want shark attack stats to be any higher than they have to be, right? -- so the argument goes.
That makes sense and is appreciable. We certainly do not want to see sharks needlessly blamed. A good example would be that kid who fell off the boat in the Bahamas, there was wild speculation involving sharks. However, in this particular instance, eye witnesses literally saw the person attacked and taken by a shark. What are the rules? That a body showing evidence of shark attack must be recovered?
It's complicated. You probably need several witnesses, maybe a few people, who witnessed an attack for a definitive Yes ruling. We have one person who saw a splash and another who said they saw--it might seem wild to some--a shark launch out of the water from below holding a person in its jaws. At least that is what some reports say. Maybe there is skepticism.
Iâm not sure how long these things take to be published on The International Stack Attack File, perhaps this one will actually make it and is still being investigated and processed. Or perhaps there are not enough credible, independent witnesses. I had a look for the criteria on their site and couldnât find it. I guess they are open to any and all reports but not all are fully logged in the end.
I think itâs also often the case that the media reports dribs and drabs of information it manages to collect (or is given a rather cut-and-dry âofficialâ statement) but people at the scene have quite a different experience of events. I saw a particularly shocking one on Reddit in which the media reported the disappearance of a woman near Tiger Beach mentioning a suspected shark attack and not much else. However, someone on Reddit claiming to be the mother of one of the guide divers shared their sonâs harrowing and highly detailed account of this woman being eaten in front of a whole group of divers and it was utterly chilling. Of course we have no idea if it was bonafide or someoneâs creative writing project as is always the issue!
This reminds me of the point Reyes attack in 2023. There were witnesses but I donât believe it was ever counted as an official shark attack. They never found that manâs remains.
I imagine there is a legal formality which involves a part of the corpse needing to be being retrieved for the coroner to be able to officially record a cause of death.
So that just sounds like the credibility of the witness & statement isnât verified yet. Hence âclaimedâ
Legal thing, once a cause of death is offical and if the witness statement proves credible, they can drop âsuspectedâ or âreportedâ
Itâs legal ass-covering for the paper in case theyâre wrong about anything, v normal
Monterey is a tourist town and quite good at hiding its bad news
Itâs about tourism.
đđđ
Terrifying. Sounds like it just picked one of em off. Sad đ
Missing person is 55 year old Erica Fox, one of the co-founders of the Kelp
KesslerâsKrawlers group.Tragic.
i know her she works at a shop i frequent and she was the kindest woman, this one is sad and very close to home , my brother swims with her on Sundays there, could have happened to him
Iâm really sorry to hear. Itâs a tragedy in every sense of the word, she seemed like a very important pillar of her community.
Itâs probably not much of a consolation, but if thereâs ever a way to go, doing what you love to the last moment has a silver lining to it somewhere. Know what I mean?
Wishing you and your brother some peace and clarity in this time, be patient and understanding towards yourselves as you come to terms with what all transpired this week. Itâs just an unfathomable tragedy.
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Whatâs the shop? I live in PG.
Range would be consistent with that of great white sharks.
I grew up in PG. I canât tell you how many times I swam at Loverâs Point. Chilling.
Genuine question, why did you go swimming where great white sharks inhabit?
Plenty of people do it, is it because the risk of you being attacked is relatively low?
I wouldnât be able to relax at all knowing I could be sharing space with an apex predator
Thereâs a community beach, park, pool, and snack bar there (or there was). It was a community gathering spot and shark attacks are so rare that itâs not something you focused on. Lots of surfers in the cove too. You can easily shore dive with SCUBA gear from the beach. So from a water user/community use POV, itâs a great place.
A great WHITE place unfortunately
The group she was a part of has swam in these waters three times a week for many years. No incidents.
I imagine they accept/understand the risks. Maybe the thrill is even part of the fun.
Despite the tragedy itâs clear she loved being in the water.
Actually, this was the fourth attack at lover's point since June 2022! Steve Bruemmer (a member of kelp krawlers) was attacked while swimming at lover's point on June 22nd 2022.
Well then you definitely canât say this victim didnât understand there were sharks present. Obviously we can still feel terrible for her, but she clearly wanted to be in that water despite knowing the risks.
I believe some peopleâs minds just work differently. I understand the odds are low but absolutely cherish the fact than my odds are so much closer to absolute zero due to never swimming in the the sea, let alone waters where I know Whites frequent.
I just couldnât enjoy myself for a millisecond without having the possibility on my mind, no matter how slim. Every weird wave, every ripple, a piece of kelp brushing against my leg, every shadow. Iâm laying in bed with my legs instinctively snatched up just thinking about it and donât feel like Iâm missing a thing by avoiding the powerful, mysterious ocean. Give me a nice clear swimming pool any day of the week.
That being said, I did go on an expedition to see Whites via boat and was far less nervous even though my risks were a bit above zero that day. I absolutely loved it but my knuckles were white holding on to that boat when taking pics haha
Iâm with you here. I love the ocean but have a healthy fear of it as well. I love fishing inshore, on a boat. I love on the Gulf of Mexico so big bull shark territory. I used to love hanging out on Robinson island in orange beach Alabama just floating my happy ass around, knowing full well that the mobile bay is literally a bull shark nursery. So the way I moved that thought to the back was with alcohol. Lots of alcohol lol. Now Iâm sober, and I keep my toes on the boat. The thought of a bull shark getting me is terrifying. And thereâs a very good chance I was within 100ft of one many times while my fat ass was bobbing around that island.
Mobile Bay is also slam full of gators! Go out at night and shine a light and see a million red eyes!
Oh yeah, believe me I know! Iâm a marine biologist (well I have a bachelors degree in it but just did it for fun, I never actually practiced or worked after school), and went to school down here. All of my marine education was out of dauphin island Alabama and of course we love our estuary and delta system!
Iâve been snorkelling in the ocean myself in great location, really enjoyed the experience, in full knowledge there would not be dangerous predators around
Like you I would just be so incredibly paranoid being in great white habitat.
Itâs not even like hiking in grizzly bear country. Atleast you could see it coming and be able to arm yourself with bear spray or a gun. Youâre completely at the mercy of nature when swimming here a great white could attack you and youâre completely defenseless
Not been to this place specifically, but my approach has always been no surfing, no surface swimming past the shallows, no night dives in coastal areas heavily hunted by white sharks (eg very close to pinniped colonies).
Otherwise tho, I find ur much more aware and able to survey surroundings in relatively clear water while diving, even when there are white sharks in the area. If u have a dive buddy watching ur back thatâs reassuring too
Itâs one thing to be in an area with white sharks passing through, whole different beast if itâs an established hunting ground with pinnipeds, particularly if the water is very turbid and visibility is low.
Sharks are always around when ur in the ocean, mostly they arenât interested in u and u wonât see them. Best practice is just to avoid higher risk areas and behaviours, and donât go alone
White sharks pass by NJ on their way to Cape Cod, where they now hang out and feast all summer. No attacks in NJ in about 100 years. Many people won't swim at the Cape anymore.
I live on the east coast, and we vacation every summer at a beach on the coast of SC. There are bull, tiger, and even a few great whites in the area at any time. There have been attacks very near to where we go. We swim out into pretty deep water. We just make sure to stay away from piers or other places people are fishing, and donât swim at dawn or dusk. We love the ocean, but there is definitely a suspension of reality when weâre in the water. Itâs their home, weâre just visiting. Thereâs always a chance, but a lot of people will take it because they enjoy swimming/surfing/diving so much.
Ugh i would love to see a great white shark in person. Grab my scuba gear and just witness those beasts swim byÂ
Fun fact PG is one of the deadliest areas when it comes to shark attack deaths (we now have 3)
Tragic. I just hope it was quick and she knew nothing about it đ
It may be cold, but I sure do love the Great Lakes. I'm from the Bahamas and as much as I love diving and being in the ocean, I'd prefer to be in the boat in the ocean and swim in freshwater
The thought of being from the Bahamas but preferring to swim in the Great Lakes is crazy
I have a Lake Superior sweatshirt that says âunsalted and shark-freeâ and itâs one of my favorite sweatshirts
Totally agree. I love swimming in Lake Michigan!
Bull sharks like to hang out in fresh water âŠ
But they have to get there. Lake Erie has worked out pretty well for me, shark-wise.
Yeah, I wouldnât expect them getting so far up. Itâs just that fresh water alone is no guarantee.
The Great Lakes might be a bit cold for them
Great Lakes are too cold and too inland for them actually!
Almost certainly a white shark
This is so sad.. poor woman đ But can a aussie please explain to me (as somebody from a country that has a cow as the most dangerous animal đ ) why do people swim in water that has great whites.. I know small chance, but still not zero chance. Not victim blaming just really wondering..
She was part of a group that did swims three times a week. Many of their members even did really big swims across the entire Monterrey Bay. It was clearly something she loved doing and found joy and community in.
You realize Monterey Bay is in California not Australia, right?
Her last Facebook post was a photo of a shark and a human swimming next to each other with the caption â This is the most DANGEROUS ANIMAL in the world, and by his side, a SHARK swims peacefullyâ. Gave me goosebumps when I realized that was her last post. Super unfortunate that this happened.
Shark did nothing wrong.
Thanks for the observation, Bob.
I was surprised only one person said that!
Doesnât make it less tragic!
Wouldnât say that if it was your mother
The ocean is Shark territory. Everyoneâs mother should know this.
Monterey Bay aquarium did house the ONLY great white shark in captivity when I visited there years and years ago...sounds like they've returned to get their revenge unfortunatelyÂ