Large(12 Foot) Bull Shark at Blue Mountain Beach Today

Beach Fanatic

Jul 27, '09 · 8:39 PM13,058

Around 5-ish....lifeguards whistle everyone out of the water as a 12 foot Bull Shark was swimming back and forth in between the two sandbars. One of the lifeguards had to go after a man snorkeling for sand dollars who did not hear the whistle. His wife was frantic on the beach and everyone else too. Two red flags immediately went up.

I don't know this life guard's name, but he deserves an award for jumping on his rescue board and going out past the shark and bringing this man in. :clap:

He had to get off his board and help the man on and then jump on himself and paddle in. He said as they were coming through waist to chest high water the shark swam right under the board.....saying that he was face to face with it.

The shark swam around a while then took off straight back into the deep. Apparently this is how he entered....straight on, not coming down the beach. If you were there maybe you can add to this.

Thank heavens no one was hurt.

Edited Jul 27, '09 · 8:40 PM

Replies

Beach Lover

Jul 27, '09 · 10:34 PM#2

Around 5-ish....lifeguards whistle everyone out of the water as a 12 foot Bull Shark was swimming back and forth in between the two sandbars. One of the lifeguards had to go after a man snorkeling for sand dollars who did not hear the whistle. His wife was frantic on the beach and everyone else too. Two red flags immediately went up.

I don't know this life guard's name, but he deserves an award for jumping on his rescue board and going out past the shark and bringing this man in. He had to get off his board and help the man on and then jump on himself and paddle in. He said as they were coming through waist to chest high water the shark swam right under the board.....saying that he was face to face with it.

The shark swam around a while then took off straight back into the deep. Apparently this is how he entered....straight on, not coming down the beach. If you were there maybe you can add to this.

Thank heavens no one was hurt.

Gives me the heebie jeebies reading this! That's one reason not to go out in the water with heavy june grass and not purchase tinted goggles! :yikes:

Beach Comber

Jul 28, '09 · 12:42 AM#3

Gives me the heebie jeebies reading this! That's one reason not to go out in the water with heavy june grass and not purchase tinted goggles!

kind of exciting.

Beach Fanatic

Jul 28, '09 · 8:31 AM#4

THANKS! (I think lol)

Bravo to brave lifeguard indeed! :bow:

The bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas, also known as the whaler shark, Zambezi shark or unofficially known as Zambi in Africa and Nicaragua shark in Nicaragua, is a shark common worldwide in warm, shallow waters along coasts and in rivers. The bull shark is well known for its unpredictable, often aggressive behavior. Many scientists agree that since bull sharks often dwell in shallow waters, they may be more dangerous to humans than any other species of shark,and that they, tiger sharks and great white sharks are the three shark species most likely to attack humans. :yikes:

Edited Jul 28, '09 · 8:33 AM

Beach Fanatic

Jul 28, '09 · 11:20 AM#5

That's a fear I have when snorkeling out there. One thing is interesting though. I had been seeing nurse sharks more times than not when I went out, but the last 10 or 12 times I've been out I haven't seen a single one.

It makes me think that something has changed, whether it is the tides, the water temperature (it has felt colder), or if the migratory habits of the nurse shark has brought it to another depth/area.

But thankfully I've not had the heart stopping sight of a big bull shark to this point. Not that there can be an answer to this, but I wonder what the ratio of sight-to-bite encounters would be with bull sharks and swimmers. I have to think that they come in andf see swimmers many times with no consequence, but I also know that attacks do occur.

I wonder if the shark would have come near the snorkeler if it would have had lunch or not. Regardless, good work by the lifeguard.

Beach Fanatic

Jul 28, '09 · 11:51 AM#6

I had an up close and personal in the Gulf with a 5-6 foot bull about a year and a half ago. Long story short- If he wanted me he could've had me. I don't think they are interested in us.

SoWal Expert

Jul 28, '09 · 12:32 PM#7

Probably true, Geo, but I liken it to going down the buffet line at a meat and three every day for lunch, and one day, deciding to taste a new dish.

Beach Fanatic

Jul 28, '09 · 1:26 PM#8

Good point...

Beach Comber

Jul 28, '09 · 1:42 PM#9

saw 3 large sharks laying on the bottom at the color change. they laid motionless while i sat over them fighting a king mackeral. i figured they had to have been nurse sharks. Also we had a 4 foot blacktip swim within 10 feet of the beach this morning. I laughed my butt off when i heard a lady in a condo say it was near 10 foot long! ha ha

SWGB

Jul 28, '09 · 11:44 PM#10

We do get nurse sharks here on a regular basis. We actually get a lot of different sea life here that you don't normally hear about.

Whale Shark Spotted Off Panama City Beach Coast

Most people didn't hear about it since it was spotted on July 4th. Here's the video:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkTwmcg2kIc"]YouTube - Panama City SCUBA Diving with a Whale Shark[/ame]

Finally since they filmed it here's the plug:

Panama City Dive Charters - Scuba diving charters, specializing in wreck and spearfishing dives off Panama City and Panama City Beach, Florida.

Beach Fanatic

Jul 29, '09 · 7:23 AM#11

We do get nurse sharks here on a regular basis. We actually get a lot of different sea life here that you don't normally hear about.

Whale Shark Spotted Off Panama City Beach Coast

Most people didn't hear about it since it was spotted on July 4th. Here's the video:

YouTube - Panama City SCUBA Diving with a Whale Shark

Finally since they filmed it here's the plug:

Panama City Dive Charters - Scuba diving charters, specializing in wreck and spearfishing dives off Panama City and Panama City Beach, Florida.

thanks for sharing swgb...what an awesome sight.

SoWal Expert

Jul 29, '09 · 8:58 AM#12

Whale shark or not, I am not riding on the tail of a shark that is over ten feet long! (probably not even one which is two feet long.) CHOMP!

Beach Fanatic

Jul 29, '09 · 11:02 AM#13

I wonder if we will ever see the squid coming on shore like on the Pacific Coast. I think I would rather encounter a shark than a squid and it's tentacles!

Beach FanaticAuthor

Jul 29, '09 · 11:41 AM#14

SWGB thanks for that plug about Panama City Dive Charters. I had not heard of them. Sounds like they would be a great trip for those who dive.

SWGB

Jul 29, '09 · 1:28 PM#15

Whale shark or not, I am not riding on the tail of a shark that is over ten feet long! (probably not even one which is two feet long.) CHOMP!

Nurse sharks go after krill (sp?) and your a pretty big guy so I believe you are safe. Never heard of anyone being gummed to death.

SWGB thanks for that plug about Panama City Dive Charters. I had not heard of them. Sounds like they would be a great trip for those who dive.

Yes, but they will admit that there's no guarantee you'll see a nurse shark. This was a fluke really. They were actually just finishing up a dive when they saw and immediately jumped back in.

Beach Lover

Jul 29, '09 · 5:08 PM#16

There should be an award presented to the lifeguard! Outstanding job! It ain't no pool out there!

Beach Lover

Jul 29, '09 · 11:00 PM#17

:shock: Boy oh boy, BMB gets all the action these days...

Beach Lover

Jul 30, '09 · 3:23 AM#18

We do get nurse sharks here on a regular basis. We actually get a lot of different sea life here that you don't normally hear about.

Whale Shark Spotted Off Panama City Beach Coast

Most people didn't hear about it since it was spotted on July 4th. Here's the video:

YouTube - Panama City SCUBA Diving with a Whale Shark

Finally since they filmed it here's the plug:

Panama City Dive Charters - Scuba diving charters, specializing in wreck and spearfishing dives off Panama City and Panama City Beach, Florida.

THanks for sharing this... I was actually in Sowal on the 4th :clap:

, had heard about the siting, but never knew there was any video.... I have tried for years to dive with one.. it is just so rare..

Beach Lover

Jul 30, '09 · 3:25 AM#19

Whale shark or not, I am not riding on the tail of a shark that is over ten feet long! (probably not even one which is two feet long.) CHOMP!

Whale Sharks are actually one of the most docile creatures eating only plankton and jelly fish... BOY OH BOY.. I only wish I had been there.. a one in a lifetime experience.....

Beach Lover

Jul 30, '09 · 3:37 AM#20

Around 5-ish....lifeguards whistle everyone out of the water as a 12 foot Bull Shark was swimming back and forth in between the two sandbars. One of the lifeguards had to go after a man snorkeling for sand dollars who did not hear the whistle. His wife was frantic on the beach and everyone else too. Two red flags immediately went up.

I don't know this life guard's name, but he deserves an award for jumping on his rescue board and going out past the shark and bringing this man in. He had to get off his board and help the man on and then jump on himself and paddle in. He said as they were coming through waist to chest high water the shark swam right under the board.....saying that he was face to face with it.

The shark swam around a while then took off straight back into the deep. Apparently this is how he entered....straight on, not coming down the beach. If you were there maybe you can add to this.

Thank heavens no one was hurt.

First and foremost KUDOS to the lifeguard...but while our beaches are the most beautiful beaches in the world.. it is a fact.. they are out there.. most of the time..we just don't always see them... This happens every couple of years, with an influx of more than usual sightings...and THANK THE LORD, no one was injured.. But with the sargassum (SP?) grass acting as a nursery for all the little creatures.. you can find almost anything in that grass, from baby lobsters, fish, turtles and etc... which brings the fish to feed on the babies, therefore you have the bigger fish to feed on them and it only works up on the food chain of the sea...I am an avid diver and I have gone LOOKING for sharks.and most of the time, not finding them....they are dangerous, but.usually they are more scared of us than we are of them...accidents do happen.. but you have a better chance of being run over by a vehicle walking across the street, than you do of being bitten by a shark..I am thrilled by their beauty and also have a healthy respect for the awesome creatures, all of them,, of the sea...WE have to remember though.. sharks have outlived the dinosaurs..and that is something in this day and time....ENJOY our beautiful beaches.......with respect of course :wave:

Beach Lover

Jul 30, '09 · 3:42 AM#21

SWGB thanks for that plug about Panama City Dive Charters. I had not heard of them. Sounds like they would be a great trip for those who dive.

They are an excellent operation. The Dive Shop is owned/operated by Mike Gomez who has years of experience in Panama City Beach. I use to manage Hydrospace Dive Shop, but have recently found out that PCDC has bought out Hydrospace and all their boats.. I highly recommend them...If you are certified, by all means go see him and if you are not, he is an instructor too and can teach you this wonderful sport.... GO BLOW SOME BUBBLES..it's GREAT fun....

Beach Fanatic

Jul 30, '09 · 7:15 AM#22

If I was going to swim with a shark, it would be a whale shark. Although I have to question the fact that they eat only plankton. They are so big. . .how can someone eat that much plankton. I bet they supplement every once in a while with a fish or small person!

SoWal Expert

Jul 30, '09 · 8:54 AM#23

Whale Sharks are actually one of the most docile creatures eating only plankton and jelly fish... BOY OH BOY.. I only wish I had been there.. a one in a lifetime experience.....

...and elephants and hippos are vegetarians, but you wont find me petting wild elephants or hippos.

SWGB

Jul 30, '09 · 3:13 PM#24

If I was going to swim with a shark, it would be a whale shark. Although I have to question the fact that they eat only plankton. They are so big. . .how can someone eat that much plankton. I bet they supplement every once in a while with a fish or small person!

Well Blue Whales eat Krill.

Blue Whale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It's not exclusively Krill for Whale Sharks.

Whale shark - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia