Confirmed shark sighting leads to no swimming order at Head of the Meadow Beach (Cape Cod)

WCVB Boston ^ | Jimeimeune 19, 2021 | Staff

[Capt. Tom]

TRURO, Mass. — A no swimming order has been lifted at Head of the Meadow Beach after a confirmed shark sighting forced officials to close the water temporarily late Saturday morning, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy says.

The order was issued by Cape Cod National Seashore officials, according to an alert from the conservancy's "Sharktivity" app that was sent shortly after 10:45 a.m. Saturday.

Beach-only activities were still permitted during the no swimming order, which has since been lifted.

According to Cape Cod National Seashore officials, sharks have bitten people three times in the waters off Truro and Wellfleet.

One bite in 2018 in the waters off Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet resulted in the death of 26-year-old Arthur Medici, who lived in Revere. It was the first fatal shark attack off the coast of Massachusetts in more than 80 years.

[Capt. Tom]

These beach closures will go on all summer. So this beach closure kicks off the white shark season at the beaches here in Mass.

One of the factors that will be in play this summer is the use of real-time hydrophone buoys.

Regular buoys with hydrophones have to be taken from the water to find out what TAGGED sharks pinged them. This is done on a monthly or more basis so the information is days or a month old. It is after the fact info.

Beach goers want immediate info on the sharks presence so the biologists are putting out some "real-time" buoys that will transmit ashore a ping by a Tagged white shark to give immediate warnings to life guards and others.

A problem I see with relying on "real-time" buoys is the UN-TAGGED sharks cant ping any hydrophones.

Dr Skomal has tagged about 230 white sharks and estimates it is about 20% of the white sharks in that area.

To me that means for every shark that pings a "real-time" buoy, there could be four more in that buoy area untagged that can't ping it

So be careful.-Tom

[billorites]

"Head of the Meadow Beach"

Otherwise known as "assorted body parts beach."

[LIConFem]

Fully vaxxed swimming only.

[caww]

Lots of shark sightings being reported throughout New England states. I lived in Rhode Island, worked in Mass. for about a year....would never go in the water there.

[Capt. Tom]

The shark season is upon us, so expect here in New England a lot of shark news from the recently formed shark consortium.

Let me know if you want off or on my shark ping list. -Tom

[Veggie Todd]

Hooper: “I need to have something in the foreground to give it some scale!”
Chief Brody: “Foreground my ass!”

[caww]

Cape Cod beaches: Playgrounds for tourists, and young sharks

[ConservativeMind]

The Kennedys dumped so many live women in the water there that sharks permanently changed their migratory routes.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“The Kennedys dumped so many live women in the water there that sharks permanently changed their migratory routes.”

You win The Internets for today! :)

[Larry Lucido]

I would have issued a “Swim faster” order.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Don’t have to swim faster that the shark…

[Larry Lucido]

LOL!

[TexasGator]

“Don’t have to swim faster that the shark…”

Why do divers carry knives ...

[Roccus]

A problem I see with relying on "real-time" buoys is the UN-TAGGED sharks cant ping any hydrophones

Just have Baker issue a mandate that all sharks are to wear ping transmitting tags...with or without masks.

[Lakeshark]

Long ago, we used to go to a place that was called Coast Guard Beach to surf. When there were hurricanes far offshore, it could get really big. I remember watching 3 boards being snapped in two on the shore one of those big days. Is that close to Truro?

I can't remember hearing about sharks being a problem back then. I don't remember hearing about any major bites, but maybe the news didn't travel so fast then.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Hahaha!!!

[Capt. Tom]

Long ago, we used to go to a place that was called Coast Guard Beach to surf. When there were hurricanes far offshore, it could get really big. I remember watching 3 boards being snapped in two on the shore one of those big days. Is that close to Truro?

I can't remember hearing about sharks being a problem back then. I don't remember hearing about any major bites, but maybe the news didn't travel so fast then.

Coast guard beach is in Eastham, which is between Orleans and Wellfleet. Truro is just north of Wellfleet toward Provincetown.

The white shark problem started to develop there at Coast Guard Beach around 2010. - Tom

[EvilCapitalist]

I wonder if they can be made to hang around Martha’s Vineyard.

[Equine1952]

Gives you something to fall on and it’s more trendy than a pair of scissors or a screw driver.

[TexasGator]

“Gives you something to fall on and it’s more trendy than a pair of scissors or a screw driver.”

You never heard that joke?