Shark Attack at Cape Cod beach (Boston, Wellfleet: title, parking, metro)

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

It's not going to "dry up." But if you read comments at the end of some of the articles, people are having second thoughts about taking their family vacations at the Cape. Their kids want to go into the water, parents get nervous. Some people get carried away with shark hysteria and will go elsewhere.

Plenty of people will still go to the Cape. They'll be more careful because there will be more warnings telling them to be careful. They can still swim in ponds--I always did, just waded in the ocean or paddled around, but for actual swimming, it was in a pond where you didn't have to contend with big waves.

And people will always go to the Cape for the salt air and the scenery. Maybe it will be marketed differently--who knows? I only go in spring or fall now anyway so I really don't care.

Ponds can contain N. Fowleri. I'd rather contend with a shark than with a brain eating amoeba.

[tovarisch]

Just looked this up. Ewww. Well, it requires nasal exposure, and I usually don't put my head under, so...Anyway, on the Cape, the bay side is usually pretty warm and seemingly shark-free....

[redplum33]

There was a Great White spotted today at Nauset Beach.

https://www.masslive.com/news/boston...tted_near.html

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by tovarisch

Just looked this up. Ewww. Well, it requires nasal exposure, and I usually don't put my head under, so...Anyway, on the Cape, the bay side is usually pretty warm and seemingly shark-free....

There was a case a few years ago where a woman got one from a water park in NC. Very disturbing.

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by redplum33

There was a Great White spotted today at Nauset Beach.

There were several sightings in that area as well as about 10 total up and down the outer cape today. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy’s Sharktivity app is very useful. I always check it before going surfing.

[mangojuice]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

You'd have to read upthread to see why there are more sharks lately but of course, the ocean is their territory. No one is saying anything about sharks being criminals. It's just that there are more off the Cape's beaches than before--double the number of sightings this year compared to normal years--and sharks are nothing to laugh off, as some people do.

So people need to be warned. Beaches need to be closed more often. This will probably take a toll on tourism but if it saves a life or a mauling, it's worth it.

Yeah, it's money vs. human life at this point. More needs to be done. Posting a sign is not enough to protect people.

I'm so frustrated to see people laughing in the face of reality and tempting fate right now by getting in and splashing around, regardless of the *numerous* recent sightings of great whites AND the recent attacks. I love the ocean and I adore sharks and advocate for them. However, I would not be getting into the water right now, as much as I might want to. Yes, indeed, the ocean is their home, but they are wayyyy close into the shore and we look like fat seals--in the water AND out.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

There was a case a few years ago where a woman got one from a water park in NC. Very disturbing.

Apparently you can get Legionnaires' Disease as well just by going to your local popular hotel.


Realistically...odds are still low for anything like this.

[Cape Cod Todd]

My wife and I took a walk on Nauset Beach yesterday and we were on the look out for wildlife. We had a seal that was keeping pace with us and kept popping up to watch us. The seal was close to shore playing in the surf about 30' out.

We then saw a shark fin and tail tip about 130' out. The waves were good but there were no surfers out.



The odds are so low that you will be bitten by a shark but the fear does keep many out of the water.

The presence of sharks has not hurt the tourist trade because most people want to come and see the sharks and the seals.

The only thing that hurts the tourist trade are the tourists themselves when there are too many of them and the traffic gets discouraging.

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Apparently you can get Legionnaires' Disease as well just by going to your local popular hotel.


Realistically...odds are still low for anything like this.

Yes, although most people don't die from Legionnaire's. (Even though some do.) But if you get N. Fowleri, it's pretty much always fatal. Low odds, yes. But if you lose those odds, it's very, very bad.

[TAM88]

Simple solution - kill all of the sharks and kill all of the seals. That way humans can swim freely without the worry of sharks attacking them and commercial fisherman can continue to over fish the oceans.