August 13, 2007 09:47 AM EDT
(Updated: August 13, 2007 11:29 PM EDT)
An approximately fourteen foot long Great White shark attacked and ate a seal within feet of a popular beach in the seaside town of Chatham, Massachusetts Sunday. Carol and John Garey, Chatham residents and the author’s in-laws, were enjoying a relaxing day at the beach with a group of friends when the calm ocean waters were roiled by a seal cartwheeling into the air. Soon a blood slick had spread, and the characteristic fin appeared. The shark circled several times before disappearing with its prey. The moments immediately after the attack were captured on film by the beachgoers.
The attack took place fifty feet off a location on South Beach known to locals as Georgie’s place. Though generally approached by boat, Georgie’s Place is just a short hike from the highly popular beach situated just below Chatham’s historic lighthouse. On the day of the attack, Lighthouse Beach was crowded with tourists, and because of strong tides, monitored by the Chatham Harbor Patrol. When approached by one of the witnesses with the suggestion that the beaches be cleared, the Harbor Patrol officer on duty claimed that sharks generally moved on after an attack, and that he did not want to trouble the tourists.
Photo courtesy of Ann Hosmer
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Comments: 30
I don't know about you ...... but I think I would WANT to be troubled and asked to vacate the water due to shark activity nearby ..... one seal might not be enough for that hungry shark and I would not want to be the next "seal" that it wanted to eat .....
My son and I watched Shark Week avidly every night that we were on the Cape. Discovery did a good job of pointing out that the Great White is a discriminating predator for the most part. But the conditions (sometimes cloudy water), and the human behaviors (boogie boarding) near where that shark was sighted warrant action. The best action would entail getting people out of that fish's territory. Let it do its thing. I'm not worried about the fish being hunted (thought the Monster Shark Tournament was held in Martha's Vineyard just a few weeks ago), as I am about a tourist business springing up. How long until the guys with their cages and chum buckets show up?
Dan -- This beach is pretty far from Hyannis. Sorry.
It does kill tourism though and most of the locals ignore the warnings.
Dum, dum, dum, dum, dum, dum...~~~^~^~^~^~~~~
pj
"From "Cape Cod Online", July 18, 2006:
On Lighthouse Beach, witnesses said they saw a 15-foot great white spring from the water and devour a seal swimming about 50 feet off shore. Officials could not confirm that a shark had entered shallow waters.
But for a handful of people who saw the attack, about 1½ miles from the lighthouse, there was no doubt."
http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070814/NEWS11/70814012