OT: Close Encounter with a Shark Yesterday

Melanie · 09-03-2007, 08:04 AM

Hubby and I went boating to one of the 10,000 Islands yesterday. Many of these are so secluded it is like being on your own private beach. I spent several hours beach combing and exploring. This particular island had a peninsula made entirely of fossilized coral. It was maybe the worlds largest piece of LR.

The larger body of it was a soft sandy beach. Next to it was a tiny 20 ft. X 5 ft. "island" made entirely of old barnacles. As I was wading around the barnacle island, my feet got cut terribly (note to self, wear sea socks next time). Feet bleed like crazy and I had cuts that were 2 - 4 inches long and varying depths up to 1/2".

I was making my way back to the sandy beach when I heard something in the water behind me. I started to spin left and a 3 foot shark (black tip maybe?) did that quick comma-like flip in the water and slapped its tail in the shallow water.

I wanted to run but running on barnacles in bare, bleeding feet is probably worse than getting bit by a 3 foot shark.

This photo is not of MY shark, but is the same size and species so you can get a visual of what I saw...

Now I'm couch-ridden. I'll probably be on RS all day!

Woodstock · 09-03-2007, 08:12 AM

Yikes!!

So sorry that happend

I too learned that walking on barnacles barefoot is bAD! The alcohol masked the pain when it happened

I had to get a tetnus booster and could barely walk for a week.

I love my water shoes now.!

boozeman · 09-03-2007, 08:19 AM

Melanie · 09-03-2007, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodstock

Yikes!!

So sorry that happend

I too learned that walking on barnacles barefoot is bAD! The alcohol masked the pain when it happened

I had to get a tetnus booster and could barely walk for a week.

I love my water shoes now.!

Thank goodness I had a tetanus booster in 2000 so I'm good until 2010. Like I want a sore arm on top of crippled feet. I have a tube of neosporin and butterfly bandages and socks on on.

I probably could have got stitches on the really deep cut. That bugger didn't stop bleeding for a LONG time. Thank goodness I have a BIG first aid kit on our boat. Saved me a trip to the ER.

And margharitas DO work wonders on the pain!

boozeman · 09-03-2007, 09:26 AM

mmmmm preventative medicine

on a side note: man we NY'ers are tough...a 6ft. shark comes in shore and we just grab it and toss it back in

Shark washes up at Rockaway Beach in Queens

AQTCJAK · 09-03-2007, 12:12 PM

You are one luck girl that shark to me looks like either a lemon or a grey reef shark if you have any other pictures I can give you a positve ID. If it is a lemon it is know as the 10th deadliest shark in the world. If it is a grey reef shark it is also know for biting divers. Glad you got out of the water before it was to late though

On a side Note Are you & Vicki tring to start a Shark Bait Club?

bluespotjawfish · 09-03-2007, 12:16 PM

ROTFLOL!

Dentoid · 09-03-2007, 12:26 PM

You have now officially been inducted into the reefer hall of fame.

Wading with sharks, walking on a bed of barnacles, what's next body surfing on the back of a porpoise! Sorry for your injuries, but hey, surfing on RS all day is not all that bad!

You may want to post your story here!
(OT) You just might be a Reef Addict...

Raf · 09-03-2007, 12:54 PM

Melanie, stop teasing the sharks...

Woodstock · 09-03-2007, 12:56 PM

Melanie · 09-03-2007, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AQTCJAK

You are one luck girl that shark to me looks like either a lemon or a grey reef shark if you have any other pictures I can give you a positve ID. If it is a lemon it is know as the 10th deadliest shark in the world. If it is a grey reef shark it is also know for biting divers. Glad you got out of the water before it was to late though

On a side Note Are you & Vicki tring to start a Shark Bait Club?

Unfortunately I wasn't carrying my camera out in the water and I was hundreds of feet from the boat so no one heard my girlie screaming. That photo was one I found on-line that resembled the size and species.

Even if it WAS a deadly biting shark, it was no more than 3 feet long so I probably could have pulled it off of me. The water was so shallow too, about thigh high. I guessed it was a black tip because it had a very pronounced black tip on its dorsal fin and a misty gray colored body.

~Melanie...coming live from her couch.

DrHank · 09-03-2007, 01:13 PM

Melanie, I think you may be an accident just waiting for the time and place to happen. You boat and dive and you don't know better than to walk on barnacles bare footed. Be careful that you don't develop an infection. If pain or redness starts to move up the legs get to the ER fast. The only staph infection I ever got was from nicking my hand while clearing a fouled boat prop. A word of warning, it can get nasty fast. Don't take any chances.

I vote with Scott. I think you may be much safer to just stay home and surf RS. Get well soon!

lcstorc · 09-03-2007, 04:02 PM

You can join the gimpy club with me.

Hope you are healing well and enjoying the day off.

AQTCJAK · 09-03-2007, 04:47 PM

I will tell you this having dealt with Sharks for as long as I have a shark 36" or better just moving them from one tank to another where I am "in control of there enviroment is not an easy task. As 3' shark is fast enough & has enough teeth specially a reef shark to tear flesh fast than we can think to react by the time the you realize the attack is happening it is over & you are seriously injured. Just be careful is all I am saying scub boots would have help alot in this case. By the way blacktips are know to be ankle biters

Dentoid · 09-03-2007, 05:47 PM

I've been snorkling in the flats of the Florida keys and have seen young Black Tip reef sharks. It's like their nursery. Yes, they are fast. Fortunately, I've never been attacked. You did the right thing to high tail it out of the water because the chance of attack is directly porportional to how long you stay in the water with them.

09-03-2007, 08:04 AM	#1 (permalink)
Melanie Golden Moray Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Naples, Florida Posts: 2,120 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	OT: Close Encounter with a Shark Yesterday Hubby and I went boating to one of the 10,000 Islands yesterday. Many of these are so secluded it is like being on your own private beach. I spent several hours beach combing and exploring. This particular island had a peninsula made entirely of fossilized coral. It was maybe the worlds largest piece of LR. The larger body of it was a soft sandy beach. Next to it was a tiny 20 ft. X 5 ft. "island" made entirely of old barnacles. As I was wading around the barnacle island, my feet got cut terribly (note to self, wear sea socks next time). Feet bleed like crazy and I had cuts that were 2 - 4 inches long and varying depths up to 1/2". I was making my way back to the sandy beach when I heard something in the water behind me. I started to spin left and a 3 foot shark (black tip maybe?) did that quick comma-like flip in the water and slapped its tail in the shallow water. I wanted to run but running on barnacles in bare, bleeding feet is probably worse than getting bit by a 3 foot shark. This photo is not of MY shark, but is the same size and species so you can get a visual of what I saw... Now I'm couch-ridden. I'll probably be on RS all day! __________________ My Reef Journey Latest Recap My Videos My Flickr Photos Pres. of Dork Club I love ScubaDrew and North East Coral! Read why HERE...

09-03-2007, 08:12 AM	#2 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 23,199 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Close Encounter with a Shark Yesterday Yikes!! So sorry that happend I too learned that walking on barnacles barefoot is bAD! The alcohol masked the pain when it happened I had to get a tetnus booster and could barely walk for a week. I love my water shoes now.! __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* *My QT/Hospital Tank* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MHs, dual Geiseman Actinic T5s,Neptune AC III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

09-03-2007, 08:19 AM	#3 (permalink)
boozeman The CodFather ~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: new york Posts: 8,800 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Close Encounter with a Shark Yesterday : __________________ ...and when I'm old and wise little things mean little to me like autumn winds they'll blow right through me and someday, in the mist of time when they ask you if you knew me remember that you were a friend of mine

09-03-2007, 09:26 AM	#5 (permalink)
boozeman The CodFather ~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: new york Posts: 8,800 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Close Encounter with a Shark Yesterday mmmmm preventative medicine on a side note: man we NY'ers are tough...a 6ft. shark comes in shore and we just grab it and toss it back in Shark washes up at Rockaway Beach in Queens __________________ ...and when I'm old and wise little things mean little to me like autumn winds they'll blow right through me and someday, in the mist of time when they ask you if you knew me remember that you were a friend of mine

09-03-2007, 12:12 PM	#6 (permalink)
AQTCJAK Tiger Shark Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 7,111 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Close Encounter with a Shark Yesterday You are one luck girl that shark to me looks like either a lemon or a grey reef shark if you have any other pictures I can give you a positve ID. If it is a lemon it is know as the 10th deadliest shark in the world. If it is a grey reef shark it is also know for biting divers. Glad you got out of the water before it was to late though On a side Note Are you & Vicki tring to start a Shark Bait Club? __________________ A Wiseman once said build a stage add a pole & they will dance - Jack 2007 www.aquaticaggression.com Projects & Chronicels http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...car-buffs.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nts-tanks.html

09-03-2007, 12:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
bluespotjawfish Tridacna maxima Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Utah Posts: 4,210 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: OT: Close Encounter with a Shark Yesterday ROTFLOL! __________________ Lorraine To BB and all Bluespots - Journey of the 2nd Year ...The 2nd Year - Photoshow Check out Mr. BJ and friends... Mr. BJ's Aquarium - PhotoShow

09-03-2007, 12:54 PM	#9 (permalink)
Raf Scopas Tang Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: N. Vancouver, BC Canada Posts: 431 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: OT: Close Encounter with a Shark Yesterday Melanie, stop teasing the sharks... __________________ Our Photos: Nikon D70 w Nikkor 60mm 2.8d micro http://www.aquaticescapes.ca Check out our Malawi site: http://www.malawimayhem.com Cheers Raf & Diana

09-03-2007, 12:56 PM	#10 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 23,199 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Close Encounter with a Shark Yesterday __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* *My QT/Hospital Tank* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MHs, dual Geiseman Actinic T5s,Neptune AC III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

09-03-2007, 01:13 PM	#12 (permalink)
DrHank Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Crestview, FL Posts: 2,284 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: OT: Close Encounter with a Shark Yesterday Melanie, I think you may be an accident just waiting for the time and place to happen. You boat and dive and you don't know better than to walk on barnacles bare footed. Be careful that you don't develop an infection. If pain or redness starts to move up the legs get to the ER fast. The only staph infection I ever got was from nicking my hand while clearing a fouled boat prop. A word of warning, it can get nasty fast. Don't take any chances. I vote with Scott. I think you may be much safer to just stay home and surf RS. Get well soon! __________________ Doc Dr Hank's 210 Build: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nks-tanks.html

09-03-2007, 04:02 PM	#13 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 19,905 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Close Encounter with a Shark Yesterday You can join the gimpy club with me. Hope you are healing well and enjoying the day off. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. In Loving Memory Of Z 01/22/07 - 08/19/08

09-03-2007, 04:47 PM	#14 (permalink)
AQTCJAK Tiger Shark Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 7,111 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: OT: Close Encounter with a Shark Yesterday I will tell you this having dealt with Sharks for as long as I have a shark 36" or better just moving them from one tank to another where I am "in control of there enviroment is not an easy task. As 3' shark is fast enough & has enough teeth specially a reef shark to tear flesh fast than we can think to react by the time the you realize the attack is happening it is over & you are seriously injured. Just be careful is all I am saying scub boots would have help alot in this case. By the way blacktips are know to be ankle biters __________________ A Wiseman once said build a stage add a pole & they will dance - Jack 2007 www.aquaticaggression.com Projects & Chronicels http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...car-buffs.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nts-tanks.html

09-03-2007, 05:47 PM	#15 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10,240 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: OT: Close Encounter with a Shark Yesterday I've been snorkling in the flats of the Florida keys and have seen young Black Tip reef sharks. It's like their nursery. Yes, they are fast. Fortunately, I've never been attacked. You did the right thing to high tail it out of the water because the chance of attack is directly porportional to how long you stay in the water with them. __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

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