Two More Shark Attacks Near Daytona; Record Nears For Volusia
Ryan Brower
- September 08 2008
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As reported by Sara Clarke for The Orlando Sentinel.
DAYTONA BEACH - Two people may need only a stitch or two and a Band-Aid to fix their wounds, but they’ve brought Volusia County close to breaking its shark bite record set in 2001.
A 43-year-old man Ponce Inlet man and a 15-year-old Casselberry teen were sitting with their feet dangling in the water in Ponce Inlet on Saturday when they were bitten within a short time of one another. One said he saw the shark that left tiny puncture wounds on his ankle — it was 2 feet long.
“Both bites were very minor,” said Scott Petersohn, a spokesman for the Volusia County Beach Patrol, who noted the two men each were able to walk away on their own. “They’ll have a good story to tell. But they’re forever documented with us as being a shark bite victim.”
Still, the Beach Patrol keeps a strict ledger of reported bites — no matter how minor — and this puts them at 21 for the year. The record, 22, was set in 2001.
Petersohn noted that the bigger threat to bathers and surfers is rip currents, especially with channels left behind by Tropical Storm Hanna. Even if waters appear calm, swimmers can get pulled out, he noted.
For the full story check out The Orlando Sentinel.
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