Archive for the 'New Smyrna' Category
Saturday, November 14th, 2009
Sharks have struck again in an area off the Florida coast that is notorious for its shark bites. This time it was an 18-year-old surfer who was bitten on the lower leg while in the water near the south jetty in New Smyrna Beach.
Several hundred surfers were in the water Wednesday to take advantage of the holiday and the high surf kicked up by gusty winds.
The unnamed surfer is the eighth shark bite victim this year in Volusia County and was treated for just minor cuts and puncture wounds.
[source]
Friday, September 4th, 2009
Watch your step if you’re heading to the beaches near Volusia County this holiday weekend. Jellyfish are piling up all over the beaches and there’s even more of ‘em in the water. Some are as big as hubcaps, but it’s the smaller ones you gotta watch out for. I hear they pack quite a punch.
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Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
According to a Beach Patrol captain, a visitor from Spain was bitten by a shark in Ponce Inlet Monday evening.
The 26-year-old man suffered 1/4-inch punctures on the top and bottom of his left foot. The puncture wounds were surrounded by small teeth impressions, said Beach Patrol Capt. Scott Petersohn.
The man was swimming in the ocean in the 4600 block of Atlantic Avenue, one mile north of the Beach Street approach, when the shark bit him.
The shark bite, the seventh of the year, occurred shortly after 7 p.m.
“He didn’t see it, but there is nothing else that has that shape of a mouth out there,” Petersohn said.
The swimmer did not require any stitches and was treated at the scene.
[source]
Monday, July 6th, 2009
A 12-year-old Ohio girl became this year’s sixth shark bite victim in Volusia County when one she got chomped on the ankle today as she rode a boogie board off Daytona Beach.
The girl was in about 4 feet of water north of the Zelda Beach Approach when the shark bit her on the right ankle around 4pm..
The attack was farther north than usual as most bites are reported south of the south jetty in New Smyrna Beach. The offending shark was most likely a juvenile black tip or spinner.
[source]
Saturday, June 6th, 2009
According to the International Shark Attack File, New Smyrna Beach is still the shark bite capital of the United States! The beach, which is in Volusia County, has logged 210 shark attacks on humans.
The No. 2 spot goes to North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii and Long Beach Island in New Jersey comes in at No. 3.
Keep up the good work, New Smyrna.
[source]
Tuesday, May 19th, 2009
Looks like there was actually THREE shark attacks at New Smyrna Beach on Sunday. The first two were fairly minor but the third involved a bite to the leg which required several stitches.
[source]
Sunday, May 17th, 2009
Two men surfing off the Volusia County coast ended up with shark bites Saturday morning.
Volusia County officials said the two men were in the water just south of the jetty at Ponce Inlet when they were bitten.
One of the surfers, a 55-year-old man, was bitten on the hand, cutting his finger. The other man, 49, was bitten on his right foot, leaving him with cuts on the top and bottom of the foot.
This brings Volusia County’s total shark attacks for 2009 to four… and it’s not even summer yet.
[source]
photos: Kem McNair
Tuesday, April 21st, 2009
A Florida man became Volusia County’s second shark bite victim of the year.
The unidentified 20-year-old was surfing late Monday afternoon when a shark grabbed his right ankle leaving him with some puncture wounds. He’ll live, but still…
Last month, a 17-year-old girl received the honor of being the first shark bite victim of 2009 when she was bit on the foot while surfing south of the South Jetty on March 19.
FYI: April is a prime month for bites because of murky water, good waves and lots of bait fish in the surf.
[source]
Monday, March 9th, 2009
Volusia County, shark bite capital of the world, will host a surfing competition next month.
The Volusia County Council approved the event last week. Organizers say the Land Shark Spring Surfari Pro could attrack 2,000 visitors to the Ponce de Leon Inlet.
There were 22 shark attacks last year in Volusia County – its highest yearly total since 2001.
[source]
Friday, October 10th, 2008
A leaping 9-foot, 400-pound dolphin hospitalized two boaters when it landed in their laps!
Norman Howard, 64, said he and his wife, Barbara, were in a 18-foot boat cruising around New Smyrna yesterday when the large dolphin jumped into their boat and continued to hit them with its tail.
Apparently the dolphin came out of nowhere… before they knew it, there was blood everywhere.
Norman was smacked in the face and ribs while his wife received a few lacerations to the face.
They were found after officers received 911 calls from witnesses. Barbara was still conscious when the U.S. Coast Guard reached the boat. They were both transported to Bert Fish Medical Center.
The dolphin was released back into the water. Barbara Howard remains hospitalized in stable condition.
FYI: The chance of a dolphin jumping into a boat is 1 in 3,000,000.
[source]
