Night Bite
A 52-year-old man who swims every night offshore of Founder’s Park in Islamorada was apparently bitten by a shark on Sunday.
Chris Olstad, 52, was swimming his normal route from the park to a sailboat about a half mile offshore and back about 9:15 p.m.
He had made it to the boat but about a quarter of a mile back he was hit in the side by what he believes was a shark. He felt a bump and a shake and felt the head of an animal. Eek.
After the attack, he managed to make it back to shore but no one was around so he walked along the beach toward the sheriff’s station with … he passed out three times, with cuts and bruises on his head.
Eventually he made it to the station, where an ambulance took him to Mariner’s Hospital.
Apparently, the man’s wounds were extensive, from under his arm to his waist, with a large chunk of his flesh missing.
From the Keys hospital, he was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he remained Monday.
[source]
I live here, and I avoid the water. Bayside or oceanside it doesn’t matter- the sharks here in Islamorada (and all of the Keys) are no joke.
now that’s crazzzzy!
Oh man! Time to invest in a pool.
Here’s his professional information.
http://www.mrdf.org/mlstaff.htm#Chris
Word to the wise…
“From the Keys hospital, he was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he remained Monday.”
If you get bit down here, there are no hospitals that can help you. In both of the attacks these past 2 weeks the victims were airlifted to Miami. Thats about 100 miles from here. Not to bad mouth Mariners Hospital, they simply don’t have the facilities to treat wounds that involve your flesh being eatin by sharks.
Is this guy nuts??! Who in their right mind would swim in the ocean at night? Craziness!
This guy Chris Olstad is a bad ass, for real. To swim back to shore with bite radius like that is…simply bad ass.
Oh yeah,
Gotta give him props- I don’t think I could have done that. The police station he walked (passed-out) to is there at Founders Park…but it’s a LONG way from the beach when yer bit by a beastie. Plus, the swim back on top of that!!??
Forget about it! He’s awsome!