INJURED -- 29 August 2006 -- South Jetty, Florence, Oregon, US -- surfer attacked

Surfer Tom Larson suffered minor cuts when a shark bit him twice on his foot while he was surfing around 8pm on the Oregon Coast.

The attack took place while he was surfing with friends at South Jetty, Florence.

Paramedics were quoted as saying the wounds were minor -- (he had eight holes in his foot and received 35 stitches) -- and that he was treated and released from Peace Harbor Hospital the same night.

Larson told KGW news: "It felt like a vise, or a bear trap even, right on my foot, and he started shaking it, and I knew it was a shark by then, so I started screaming, ‘shark!’ as loud as I could, because my friends were in the water, and I wanted them to get out.”

He said he beat the shark with his board until it let go and then he paddled to shore.

Larson said he didn’t feel pain: “I mean, the fear and the adrenaline was amazing because you see that fin, I didn't see his face but I saw that fin, so I knew what was happening, and every surfer dreads that.”

No other details were reported.

Sources:
KVAL 13 News
KGW

FATAL -- 20 August 2006 -- Pointe du Diable, Reunion -- surfer attacked

Surfer Sebastien Emond, 34, died in hospital after having his arm ripped off by a shark while surfing at Pointe du Diable (Devil's Point) in the south of Reunion, a French Territory island in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar.

The attacked took place on Sunday 20 August. The time of attack was not reported.

His surfing companions managed to drag him 100 metres to shore. He was bleeding profusely from the wound and lost consciousness from blood loss. Paramedics managed to keep him alive as they took him to hospital in the nearest town, St Pierre. He died during surgery late Sunday.

Water sports are banned at Pointe du Diable due to the number of shark sightings. However, surfers ignore the ban to surf the large waves at the point, according to media.

Bull sharks and Tiger sharks are the two most common sharks involved in attacks at Reunion. La Reunion's marine observatory has recorded 24 shark attacks off the island's shores since 1980, 13 of which have been fatal.

Sources:
The Raw Story
News.com.au
IOL

INJURED -- <16 August 2006 -- North Coast, Oregon, US -- surfer attacked

A brief report appeared on KREM 2 News on 16 August saying a surfer, Bob Martin, of Liberty Lake, was on the mend of after being bitten “three weeks ago” on the thigh while surfing “about a thousand feet offshore”.

The report said he was bitten by a Great White on the north coast of Oregon. The exact site and time and date of the attack is not reported.

According to the report rangers on the beach said it was the second shark attack of the summer. There were no further details.

KREM quotes Martin as saying: "I was paddling, catching a wave, moved up on the board and something hit me from behind." He said he never saw the shark.

There were no other details in the report.

Source:KREM

DESCRIBED -- Lifeguard tells his story of shark attack

False Bay, South Africa, lifeguard Achmat Hassiem, 24, lost his right foot when it was bitten off by a shark, presumably a Great White, while he was doing lifeguard training in False Bay on Sunday 13 August. He recounted the attack from his his hospital bed.

Hassiem and his brother Taariq, 17, were in the water acting as patients while other lifeguards were in a nearby boat about 200 metres offshore.

Hassiem said he saw the shark’s fine slicing through the water towards his younger brother.

From his hospital bed Hassiem recounted the attack. The following excerpt was reported by IOL.

“It was going for my brother. I shouted: 'Taariq! Shark!' and then started splashing about in the water so that I would attract the shark to me.

"The shark turned around and came towards me. It grabbed my ankle and shook me, then pulled me under water. I thought the game was over. But as I went down, I told myself, 'No, you're not going to die now', and I started kicking it.

"It had my right leg and I kicked at its head with my left leg.

"I don't know how many times I kicked it, maybe four times. But I needed to get breath, I could feel I had already taken in seawater. And then it let go.

"As I came up I saw my brother's hand in the water and grabbed it.

"I looked back and saw the shark coming towards me for a second time, but the guys in the boat pulled me in before he got to me. They saved my life.

"I don't know how to describe what it was like.

"You don't feel pain. It had my leg in its mouth but I did not feel pain. It was just, I don't know, just this brute power, this massive brute force against me, against nothing.

"I want to go back [to being a lifeguard]. I'm being as brave as I can. But I struggle to sleep. Every time I close my eyes I see it all again, every detail."

Source: IOL

INJURED -- 13 August 2006 -- Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa -- lifeguard attacked

Lifeguard Achmat Hassiem, 24, had his foot bitten off, by what is believed to be a Great White while doing lifeguard training about 200 metres from shore at Sunrise Beach, Muizenberg, False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa.

The attack occurred around 11am on Sunday 13 August.

According to media reports Hassiem was training with other lifeguards including his brother Taariq, 17.

They were alone together in deep water, acting as "patients" for three lifesavers in a boat, when Achmat saw the shark heading for Taariq.

Media reports quoted Taariq as saying his brother was the first to see the shark and shouted: “Taariq shark!”

Taariq was hauled into the lifesavers boat, then the shark headed for Achmat, who disappeared beneath the water.

Seeing a dark patch, Taariq reached in to grab his brother, not knowing if the shark would bite him.

Taariq said that Achmat was pulled into the boat, his leg "dripping with blood", but instead of swimming away, "the shark actually turned around and came for us again".

"It actually knocked the boat quite hard, but there were five of us so it couldn't knock it over."

They got Achmat ashore where he was treated by lifesaver medics who controlled the bleeding, elevated his leg and stabilised his condition.

Achmat was airlifted to Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic by Metro Red Cross AMS helicopter.

Hospital officials said he was recovering in ICU after surgery and was in a stable condition.

False Bay is renowned as a Great White breeding ground. On 28 July a lifeguard’s surf-ski was attacked by 3.5-4 metre Great White in False Bay.

Sources:
News24
Wavescape

Pic Credit:
Steve Pike, Wavescape

FRIGHTENED -- 28 July 2006 -- Fish Hoek, Cape Town, South Africa -- lifeguard’s surf-ski attacked

Lyle Maasdorp, 19, was paddling his surf-ski past Fish Hoek Point at Sunny Cove, False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa, after launching from Fish Hoek beach when a shark attacked and bit the back end of his surf ski.

The attack took place on Friday 28 July (time of attack not reported). According to the report on News24 Allison Kock of the shark-working group interviewed Lyle and investigated the bite marks on the surf-ski and estimated that the shark was a great white, approximately 3.5m to 4m in length.

According to the report Lyle said he felt the back of his surf-ski lifting out of the water and he heard a crunching sound. He fell off his surf-ski and realised it was a shark when his hand landed on the shark’s back. He stayed with his surf-ski and then abandoned it after a another paddler helped him onto the back of his surf-ski and paddled him to nearby rocks where they got out of the water.

Lyle was shaken but uninjured.

Source: News24

INJURED -- 29 July 2006 -- Playalinda Beach, Florida, US -- surfer attacked

Matt Wishengrad, 15, was bitten on the foot while surfing at Playalinda Beach, Florida, US on Saturday, 29 July.

The brief report on WFTV said Matt was trying out his new surfboard when the shark bit down hard on his foot. When the shark let go, Wishengrad swam as fast as he could for the beach.

"I paddled back and, as I looked behind me and saw a trail of blood, I was like, hope another shark doesn't come and get me," he said.

He required a lot of stitches to close up the shark bite, according to WFTV.

No other details were reported.

Source: WFTV

INJURED -- < 24 July 2006 -- Sargent Beach, Matagorda County, Texas, US – fisherman attacked

R.K. Halbert was bitten on his right ankle while fishing from the beach at Sargent Beach in Matagorda County, Texas, US. The KHOU report follows his admittance on 24 July to CyFair Medical Center for an infection in his foot caused by the bite. The date of the attack is not mentioned.

Halbert told KHOU: "I had the rod over my shoulder and I was dragging bait behind me. Probably smelled the bait, came from behind, smelled the bait and hit my foot,

"He grabbed me, jerked me for a minute, pulled me backwards and then let go. It felt like a bear trap closing in on my foot."

The shark -- believed to be a bull shark about 4 or 5 feet long -- bit Halbert just above his right ankle.

It tore a hole through his wading bootie and almost knocked him down.

"[It] wasn't his fault it was my fault. You are no longer the top of the food chain when you're in the water," said Halbert.

Sources: KHOU

INJURED -- 17 July 2006 -- Singleton Beach, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, US -- wader attacked

Dallas Jackson claims he was bitten on the leg by a shark in chest deep water at Singleton Beach, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, US.

The incident occurred about 10am local time while Jackson was watching his wife and young son boogie boarding.

"I just felt a very large, almost like a baseball bat, hitting me in the leg," Jackson told media. "It was really hard. It kind of knocked me off balance, and I felt a little bit of a tug at the same time.

"The first thing that went through my mind was, `I just got bit by a shark.' "

Jackson waded to shore and wrapped the wound in a towel. His family drove him to hospital. The wound required around 12 stitches.

Media said that authorities were still to confirm whether the wound was caused by shark, but quoted Jackson as saying he was in no doubt going by the puncture wounds, blood and the flap of skin hanging from his leg when made it to the beach.

No other details -- Jackson’s age, the name of the hospital, the type of shark -- were reported.

Source:
Charlotte Observer

INJURED -- 4 (??) July 2006 -- Florida Keys, US -- spear fisher attacked

A report by AFP on 18 July refers to a shark attack “two weeks ago” on the sister, Bebe, of Gary Hall, an Olympic Gold Medallist swimmer. The two were spearfising in the Florida Keys when the incident happened.

Bebe, 28, and Hall fought off the shark, but not before it had bitten Bebe on the arm, which required 19 stitches. Hall was uninjured in the attack. Bebe managed to shoot the shark in the mouth with her speargun before it left the two alone.

According to the report: the Halls were spear fishing about 200 metres from their boat and spotted a shark. They started swimming back to their boat when a 1.8 metre black tip reef shark attacked.

"Another shark larger than the first one we saw came in from the side and bit (Bebe) on the arm," Hall said. "I didn't realise she had been bit before the shark was on me.

"It was swimming after me and thrashing and had its back arched in a frenzy mode. I kept punching it in the nose and kicking it and it kept coming after me.

"I was eventually able to get underneath it and roll it off of me. That's when it charged toward my sister.

"She had already been bit, but in the meantime she had enough sense to load the spear.

"The shark charged her with its mouth open and she shot it."

The shark swam away and they managed to get back to the boat where Hall fashioned a tourniquet for Bebe's arm.

"It was definitely a shot of adrenaline," Hall said. "I don't know what my split was for the 50 metres, but I am sure I haven't swam that fast in years."

Sources:
Yahoo News

INJURED -- 12 July 2006 -- Kiawah Island, South Carolina, US -- swimmer attacked

A very brief news report says a 21-year-old woman was bitten on the ankle by a shark while swimming off a private beach on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, US, on Wednesday12 July 2006. Another report on the Kiawah Island website says she was transported to hospital around 1.30pm local time. She was reportedly taken to nearby Roper St Francis Hospital in good condition.

This is the second shark attack in South Carolina in a week. There was an attack in DeBordieu on 8 July.

No other details were available at the time of this blog.

Sources:
ABC News Charleston

Kiawah Island website news

INJURED -- 9 July 2006 -- New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County, Florida, US -- swimmer attacked

A 40-year-old New York man (name not reported) was bitten on the top of his left foot in waist-deep water near the jetty at New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County, Florida, US, around 5pm local time on Sunday 9 July.

Officials told the media the injury was minor and the man did not require medical treatment.

A beach patrol officer said the man had two small cuts on the top of his foot.

No other details for were available at the time of this blog.

Sources:
First Coast News

INJURED - 8 July 2006 -- Debordieu, Georgetown County, South Carolina, US -- surfer attacked

Caelin Lacy, 14, was bitten on the left foot by a shark while surfing in chest deep water off the north end of Debordieu, near Pawleys Island, Georgetown Country, South Carolina, US.

The attack took place after 11am local time on Saturday 8 July.

Reports differ on the type of shark believed responsible for the attack. One quotes Caelin as saying it was a Bull shark that bit her. Another report quotes her as saying it was a 5-6 foot spinner shark.

Caelin told WIS 10 TV she was surifng on her Boogie board about 25 feet from the beach.

"A group of bait fish had swum in around me, and I hadn't seen them, and a bunch of sharks did too, a pack. They were feeding."

She said that at one point there were 20 fins surrounding her.

"I looked behind me and something had grabbed hold of my foot, it was a six-foot bull shark. And it tore up my foot, but it didn't thrash or anything. I kicked it with my right foot, and it let go immediately."

"When I first got bit, it didn't hurt because it hadn't really clicked yet, didn't seem real. Then when I looked back at my foot, all the blood in the water, I started screaming and I freaked out. Then I blacked out and the next thing I remember was being on the sand."

Caelin was quoted by The Sun News’ Myrtle Beach Online as saying she had just caught a wave, "another good wave was coming and I started kicking. All of a sudden, I turned around and something had grabbed hold of my foot."

With her free foot, she kicked the shark - which she identified as a 5- to 6-foot-long spinner shark - and screamed for help, the report said.

Her mother, Janice Lacy, and an unidentified man, ran from the beach to rescue her. "It seemed like miles to me at the time," said her mother. "When I got to her there were fins all around her. She was in the middle of a school of fish."

Lacy told the media how her daughter reached out to her for help. She said the uncertain rescue the most horrifying moment of her life.

"I just grabbed her by the wrist and pulled to just yank her to me," she said. "I didn’t know what part of her was going to come with me when I yanked, when I pulled her out. That was the moment that I will never forget."

Doctors who were on the beach at the time helped stop the bleeding. She was taken to Georgetown Memorial Hospital.

The shark bite severed three tendons, the most important one was only half torn meaning she was likely to make a full recovery. Caelin said doctors had told her she would require around 70 stitches.

"You're more likely to be struck by lightening than you are to be attacked by sharks," Caelin told the the media. "I can't let this keep me out of the water."

Sources:
Myrtle Beach Online

WIS 10 TV


image source

INJURED -- 9 July 2006 -- Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, US -- wader attacked

A very brief report from First Coast News says an 11-year-old boy was bitten on the leg in knee-deep water on Sunday, 9 July, at Ponte Vedra Beach, on the Atlantic coast of Florida, US.

The report said the boy was taken to Baptist Hospital South, Jacksonville, with non-life threatening injuries.

No further details or reports were available at the time of this blog.

Resources:
First Coast News

INJURED -- 8 July 2006 -- Playalinda Beach, Canaveral National Seashore, Florida, US -- swimmer attacked

A teenage boy (either 13 or 14) was bitten on the left calf by a shark while swimming off Playalinda Beach at Canaveral National Seashore, Florida, US on Saturday 8 July.

The boy was not identified.

The attack took place around 1pm while he was swimming with his mother. She told media she saw her boy being pulled under the water up to his neck then heard him scream.

The boy was taken to Parrish Medical Center in Titusville by ambulance and then airlifted to Orlando’s Arnold Palmer (Hospital for Women and Children) in stable condition.

There were no other details available at he time of this blog.

Sources:
Orlando Sentinel
Florida Today

INJURED -- 24 June 2006 -- Mangrove Cay, Andros, Bahamas -- diver attacked

Fisherman Whitefield Rolle, 25, lost his right arm when he was attacked by a shark while spear fishing at Mangrove Cay, Andros, Bahamas. The attack occurred around 1pm on Saturday 24 June, according to a brief report in the Nassua Guardian on 28 June.

Sergeant David Thompson of the Police Station was quoted as saying Rolle had “speared a snapper and went to retrieve it. And while doing that a shark passed at the same time and caught him in the right arm."

Rolle was airlifted into New Providence hospital in Nassau around 4 pm that afternoon.

Sergeant Thompson told the newspaper that the attack was the first of its kind to occur in the Mangrove Cay fishing community to his knowledge.

No further details about the nature of the attack, Rolle's condition -- whether his arm was severed in the attack or whether it had to be amputated -- or size and species of the shark were reported.

Sources:
Nassau Guardian

INJURED -- 27 June 2006 -- Hutchinson Island, Florida, US -- boogie boarder attacked

Nine-year-old Juliette Shipp was bitten on the right calf while standing in two to three foot of water with her boogie board off Hutchinson Island, off the Atlantic coast of Florida.

According to media witnesses said quite a chunk was taken out of her calf, however Audria Moore, a police spokeswoman told The Times: “She’s going to be fine. She will need some stitches. She’s not losing her leg. It’s still intact.”

The attack took place about 11am on Tuesday 27 June. The size and type of shark was not reported.

The girl’s mother told CBS4 News she was on a raft in deeper water at the time of the attack. She heard her daughter scream and then when she lifted up her leg up she saw the wound. She went over and grabbed her daughter and took her to the beach.

The girl was admitted to Lawnwood Medical Centre where she was to undergo surgery.

Sources:
The Times online
CBS4 News

FATAL -- 18 June 2006 -- Olinda, Brazil -- surfer attacked

Humberto Pessoa Batista, 27, died from blood loss after being attacked by a shark while surfing at a beach in the city of Olinda in North East Brazil. Olinda is just north of Recife.

Bastista was surfing with around 30 other surfers about 15 metres from the beach when he was bitten on the left thigh. The bite ruptured his femoral artery and he died of blood loss as rescue workers tried to take him to hospital.

No other details were available at the time of this blog.

According to media Batista's death was the 18th since 1992 caused by shark attacks in the area. Surfing has traditionally been banned in the area due to the high concentration of sharks attracted to waters off Recife by a large coral reef where they feed, but authorities had lifted the restriction this year because few sharks had been sighted.

Sources: Associated Press via Yahoo News

INJURED -- 16 June 2006 -- New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County, Florida, US -- surfer attacked

A 24-year-old surfer suffered minor cuts from a shark bite while wading in four feet of murky water at New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County, Florida, Beach on Thursday 15 June, Beach Patrol officials told media.

Mike Milea was wading just south of the jetty at Ponce de Leon Inlet around 3:30 pm when he felt something grabbing at his left ankle.

He was treated on the beach for three or four puncture wounds on his foot, each less than an inch long. Beach Patrol officials said the injury was "very minor" and that Milea refused transport to the hospital.

The size and type of shark were not reported.

According to Beach Patrol spokesman Scott Petersohn - most of Volusia County's shark bites occur at New Smyrna Beach. Its waters aren't known for the aggressive bull sharks like the Gulf of Mexico, Petersohn said. Most Volusia County victims are bitten by smaller, juvenile blacktip and spinner sharks that mistake hands and feet for bait fish.

Sources:
Orlando Sentinel

New hammerhead shark discovered

A new type of hammerhead shark has been discovered in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, the BBC online quotes marine scientists as saying.

The shark resembles a common species called the scalloped hammerhead but has not yet been classified or named.

US researchers say the animal appears to be rare, breeding only in waters off the South Carolina coast.

They believe the shark is at risk of extinction and conservation efforts are needed to protect females when they are raising their pups.

More from BBC online…