Archive for the 'New Smyrna/Volusia County' Category
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.
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Saturday, October 4th, 2008
According to news-journalonline, it looks like David Carr was actually the record-breaking shark bite victim of New Smyrna.
Previously it had been reported that 44 year-old David Logan was on the receiving end of the history-making shark bite but now it turns out Carr, 40, was nipped an hour earlier while surfing at Bethune Beach shortly before 11 a.m. last Sunday.
Carr managed to make it back to shore (with a piece of flesh flapping on his right foot). He was taken to Bert Fish Medical Center where it took nine stitches to close up the wound.
Oh well, Logan… #24 isn’t so bad. At least you’re still the one to beat.
Monday, September 29th, 2008
According to news-journalonline, a 44-year-old surfer landed himself a spot in history when he got nipped by a shark on Sunday at New Smyrna Beach.
The victim became the 23rd shark bite victim of the year. That breaks the 2001 record of 22 bites, a tally that dubbed 2001 the “Year of the Shark.”
According to the Volusia County Beach Patrol, the unidentified man was surfing south of the jetty about noon when he felt something prick his foot.
The damage was minor, but hey… a bite’s a bite.
UPDATE: The victim was 44-year-old David Logan. He had a few small puncture wounds on his heel which paramedics bandaged, then he was right back in the water. You’re a brave man, David!
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Sunday, September 14th, 2008
According to NewsJournalOnline a 32-year-old tourist earned the honor of becoming the 22nd shark bite victim of the year in Volusia County today, tying the previous record set in 2001.
Volusia County Beach Patrol spokesman Capt. Scott Petersohn said the Tennessee visitor was swimming off the 1000 block of Ocean Shore Boulevard in Ormond-by-the-Sea when he was bit once just before noon. The man, whose name is not yet available, was swimming in waist-deep water when a wave knocked him from his feet. While his feet were off the bottom, the swimmer felt something grab his heel.
The shark left a couple nice lacerations on the victim.
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Saturday, September 6th, 2008
Talk about teamwork. Two people surfing off Ponce Inlet were bitten by sharks at the same time today!
Just after noon, a lifeguard reported that a surfer had been bitten by a shark. Then, just minutes later, another person walked on shore with wound from a shark bite on his foot too.
The victims have been identified as 15-year-old male from Casselberry and a 43-year-old man from Ponce Inlet. Both were treated for minor injuries and released on the scene.
These are the 20th and 21st shark bites in Volusia County this year.
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Thursday, August 28th, 2008
Ok, this makes 19 for the year… and 3 this week!
A shark bit another surfer today at a popular Volusia County beach.
A 19-year-old New Smyrna Beach resident was attacked by a shark near the inlet. He was bitten on the left foot.
The victim, whose name was not released, was treated at the scene and left the beach with a friend.
The record for Volusia County was 22 bites in 2001. Only 4 more to go…
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UPDATE: The victim was an off-duty lifeguard by the name of Thomas Gold.
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Wednesday, August 27th, 2008
26-year-old surfer became Volusia County’s 18th shark bite victim of 2008 this morning.
Alexander Zgura was sitting on his board in the surf near the jetties on the New Smyrna Beach side of Ponce de Leon Inlet just before 11 a.m. when a 6 ft shark grabbed him by the lower left leg.
The shark took two bites between the knee and ankle leaving about 13 to 15 separate lacerations, which would likely require stitches. However, Alex declined transport to Bert Fish Medical Center saying he would go by private vehicle.
The bite comes less than a week after an unidentified New Smyrna Beach man was bitten on the left foot while swimming south of the 27th Avenue beach Sunday afternoon.
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Monday, August 25th, 2008
An unidentified 20-year-old man was bitten by a shark Sunday afternoon at New Smyrna Beach.
The man was towing his surfboard about 3 p.m. when the shark bit his left foot.
That make 17, yeah count ‘em.. 17 bites this year for New Smyrna.
The surfer made it back to shore and was treated at the beach before being taken to a nearby hospital.
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Friday, August 15th, 2008
A Volusia County hospital is quickly gaining the title of the “Shark Bite Treatment Capital of the World.”
After a 13-year-old swimmer was bitten Tuesday, the county is now just six shark bites away from the all time record of 22, which was set in 2001. Go Volusia!
Since most of the attacks happen in New Smyrna Beach, most of the victims end up at Bert Fish Medical Center. The staff has now become the unofficial shark bite experts, treating everything from severed tendons to deep cuts… and even digging a tooth out every now and then. Nice.
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Tuesday, August 12th, 2008
No, not this girl!
But a 13-year-old girl did undergo surgery today after being attacked by a shark off New Smyrna Beach.
The girl, who is from New York, was bitten on her right leg between her ankle and knee while in waist-deep water near the 400 block of South Street. She was transported to Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach.
This is the 16th bite of the year for Volusia County.
That’s all I got for now…
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UPDATE:
So the attack happened in a different place than they usually do, a good mile and a half south of where most of the New Smyrna Beach bites occurred at a beach that is more popular with tourists that surfers.
13-year-old Emma Klopchin from upstate New York was the victim. She was wading in chest deep water when she felt something grab on to her lower right leg.
A couple of nurses who happened to be on the beach treated the deep cut and puncture wounds until paramedics could arrive.
Last year, there were 17 bites for the entire season and Tuesday’s bite has 2008′s number already at 16.
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