Surfer May Have Been Bitten by Shark

AP ^ | June 08, 2005 | ASSOCIATED PRESS

[Capt. Tom]

Today: at 11:51:37 PDT

Surfer May Have Been Bitten by Shark

SURF CITY, N.J. (AP) - A teenage surfer was bitten in an apparent shark attack off the New Jersey coast, and experts believe a small great white may be responsible.

It would be the first recorded shark attack in the state's waters in 30 years.

Ryan Horton, 17, said he never saw what bit him when he felt a stabbing pain in his ankle Sunday afternoon.

"I was swimming up and it just felt like somebody hit me in the foot with a baseball bat," Horton said. He paddled to shore, where his brother helped him to a hospital. Horton received more than 50 stitches on his lower leg.

Based on the tooth marks, the season and the location, the shark was likely either a small great white or a sandbar shark, said George Burgess, a Florida expert who is curator of the International Shark Attack File. He had examined an e-mailed photo of Horton's injury.

Two local experts said they think it was a great white shark.

[spetznaz]

Hmmm, good point.

[FlipWilson]

This is comforting. . .considering that I was surfing off Beach Haven last weekend.

[asp1]

If this is the same story that I heard years ago...didn't the Great White swim 5 to 10 miles inland and attack some children swimming in the creek? I found it quite amazing.

[TexasCajun]

Maybe surf-running baracuda or giant crab?

Well, he wasn't sure.

[Capt. Tom]

This is comforting. . .considering that I was surfing off Beach Haven last weekend.

I just answered an e- mail fom a young girl this morning before I saw this NJ story. She was concerned about going surfing in New Hampshire. If she reads this New Jersey story she will probably be unduly worried.

Her e- mail to me

hi i was recently looking on the internet about shark > attacks and crossed your website. the pictures of > those sharks all of you guys caught were amazing. You > see last summer i started surfing at north beach and > rye NH. from day one everyone said dont worry about > sharks theres none around here, thats only down south > and what not. Looking on your website worried me, so i > figured because you deal with fishing and sharks all > the time, maybe you could tell me what you think the > odds are of seeing a shark in the surfing line up in > hampton or rye NH. just from your personal opinion. i > would greatly appreciate any feed back you may have. > thanks for your time. ~XXXXX~ AGE:16

My answer to her:
Hi XXX I would not worry one bit about sharks while surfing in New Hampshire. There are three species that are the most dangerous to people. Bulls ,tigers and whites. Bulls and tigers are not in your area and the white is so uncommon that I would not consider it likely you would ever see one in your area. - Tom

[don-o]

Jumping the shark has jumped the shark.

I haven't finished with it yet.

[TexasCajun]

doo doo doo doo DOO DOO DOO DO!

hehe, that really needs a sound track. ...without it, one might think it was a gay sex joke.

[Capt. Tom]

If this is the same story that I heard years ago...didn't the Great White swim 5 to 10 miles inland and attack some children swimming in the creek? I found it quite amazing It apears the attacks in Matawan Creek NJ were done by a bull shark, that has no problem going into and staying in fresh water. Granted that creek might have had brackish water.

There is no evidence whites go into brackish water or fresh water.

Scientists want to put satellite tracking devices on whites because among other things it would show if they do in fact enter some brackish estuaries. - Tom

[Coleus]

Surfer May Have Been Bitten by Shark >>

may? I just saw the boy on eyewitness news; it's definite.

Beach Haven where one of the famous 1916 shark attacks occurred. >>>

Is this the place where a shark (bull or tiger?) attacked some people swimming in a river.

[Strategerist]

Latest thinking is that there were multiple sharks behind those attacks in NJ in 1916; Great White on the beach, Bull Shark going up Matewan Creek.

[Capt. Tom]

Beach Haven where one of the famous 1916 shark attacks occurred. >>>

Excerpt njhm.com

Charles Van Sant, a 23 year-old vacationer for Philadelphia could not wait to enjoy the refreshing waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The train ride that had brought him and his family to Beach Haven had been much too long and much too hot, and Van Sant had made his way to the beach within an hour of their arrival. He swam out about one hundred yards and then leisurely began to make his way back to shore, occasionally swimming but just as often riding the waves.

He was within fifty feet of shore when other bathers in shallower water noticed a large shadow following him. They shouted warnings to him, but he failed to hear them and remained blissfully unaware of the danger until suddenly he felt something grasp his legs.

On the shore, Alexander Ott, a former Olympic swimmer, could see Van Sant disappear beneath the surf and a large red stain growing in the water. He dove into the ocean and quickly swam to where he had last seen the injured Van Sant. As he reached the spot, Ott could saw the black body and fin of the attacker in the water nearby. At first it seemed as if was moving towards him, but it veered off and raced out to sea.

Ott found the unconscious Van Sant and dragged him to shore, but there was nothing that could be done. His life ebbed away on the beach. Both legs had been severely mangled.

[Coleus]

Thanks for the response and the link, there's some interesting stories on it.

I think the Beach Haven incident was one in five of a rash of shark attacks in 1916, the story that came to mind was in the estuary of Matawan Creek; a place where most sharks do not prowl.

Investigation of 1916 shark attacks continues

1916 Shark Attack. 1916 Shark Attack at Matawan Creek, New Jersey

Weird NJ - the Matawan man-eater

[Coleus]

Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) -- could this species be the New Jersey Maneater?  It seems possible but unlikely.

Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) -- this species is notorious for entering fresh water and attacking people there, 
a reputation that makes it an obvious suspect in the Matawan Creek attacks.

White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) -- since the infamous series of attacks seemed to stop with the capture of a young White Shark, reportedly with human remains in its stomach, it was widely assumed this animal was the culprit; other researchers are not so sure.

[Hot Tabasco]

So, all you former Jersey surfers, c'mon over!

Blu ain't speakin' for me, I don't any Jerseyites here . Your state politics is screwed up enough as it is and I don't want it spreading here to Michigan.......Uh, wait a minute here, we did support Kerry didn't we? What the heck, since you guys have figured out how to turn an election via your state supremes, then come on over!!!

[blu]

psssttt... Dude (that's surfer talk. Learn it, love it), take it easy! I'm not inviting them to MOVE here, I just want them to come over for a few weeks and bring lots of ca$h! I feel it's my civic duty to do what I can to support our state's ailing economy, seein' as how the Govenorette ain't doing so well.

Remember the mantra of Northern Michigan..."It's all about the tourists and their money. Do it for the Fudgies!!"

[asp1]

Thanks, Capt. Still an interesting story. As for putting tracking devices on Great Whites---I wouldn't want to be the mouse putting the bell on that cat. ;^)

[Hot Tabasco]

It's all about the tourists and their money. Do it for the Fudgies!!"

If you want them coming back the least you could have done was tell them to wear long underwear and bring their snow shovels and dry suits........

[blu]

If you want them coming back

Well, see, there's the hole in your logic! If we don't' tell them how cold Lake Michigan is, they'll come, spend some $$, and never darken our beaches again...AFTER we get the dough!