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Topic Title: Possible White Shark Encounter- Bethune Beach
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Created On: 04/08/2018 09:53 AM
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 04/08/2018 09:53 AM
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coolchange

Posts: 144
Joined Forum: 08/28/2011

So the family is on spring break this past week and we shared a rental house beachfront with another family just north of the Bethuse Beach parking lot. I had to work most of the week, but snuck out friday and managed a late go about 5;30 directly infront of the house. It was small and sloppy, but it was right in fron- so who cares- go! I was outside and caught a few, and had done some swimming around as my leash finally broke the ball socket after many many good tyears......I turned around and like 10 or 12 folks were on the roof deck , so I thought i better catch one for entertainemnt purposes.....I looked out to sea and just to my noth rose a fin. At first I diddn't think twice, but instead of going under the water it stayed at the same height for a bit and then starting picking up steam heading in my direction about 30 yards away......then it rose out of the water- this was no dolphin......the thickness of the fin was initially what freaked me, like 2-3 times the thickness, then the height......it rose up probbaly two and a half feet out of the water......straight triangle! Yep- then I saw the outline of the body, and it was massive.....it was VERY large.....the width of it was the first I noticed, and then it clicked immediatley.....get the hell out immediatley.....I would have to say the shark was 10 -12 foot and thick....brown water and low visibilty made it even spookier as I turned to the beach and starting quick paddling in...the last I saw was like 20 yards away and making a white water trail at me......the funny thought that freaked me the most was that my daughter was on the deck wattching and it felt like they were all going to witness a full blown attack....that was made it so surreal.....long story short- I obviously made it and they said they saw the whole thing- what they thought was two sharks was actually it's tail fin and it was thrashing a bit right before it turned to me....once I started going in it trailed and then turned north toward the inlet...if I was a betting man I'd say it looked and fely like about a 10-12 foot white....could have been a huge bull or a tiger...but it had the look of a white....lady said they had been tracking one close to NSB for several days in the 14 foot range on a tracker.....so I am curious to se if anyone out there has seen anything recently?? This was Friday night this past weekend.....what a rush!!

 04/08/2018 10:18 AM
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JBSURF

Posts: 2125
Joined Forum: 10/11/2004

Holy sh*&^%$#@!!!!!

Happy ending, YEAH!!!!!

Tigers and Bulls have fairly short dorsal fins for their size, Whiteys are tall...

Scary......

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I've decided to accept the fact - I'll always be a big kid!
 04/08/2018 11:14 AM
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SunriseSurfer

Posts: 8610
Joined Forum: 07/22/2003

maybe, maybe ...
... well, "Hilton" has been in the area

Hilton
*Last ping: Apr 06 at 01:01 AM

Shark Tracker






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Puerto Rico 11 - 24 - 2013
 04/08/2018 11:56 AM
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RegularJoe

Posts: 3679
Joined Forum: 11/20/2011

April 6 ping not long enough to determine location, but April 1 off Playalinda was no foolin'!

Sometimes you wish you didn't know what's on these trackers.
 04/08/2018 12:03 PM
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Cole

Posts: 68176
Joined Forum: 07/22/2003

And Great Hammerheads have a very vertical fin, so it wasn't one of those either.

I've been spooked by the tips of manta ray fins, but they don't stay up for very long, so your description sounds very fishy, err, sharky.

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I was right.
 04/08/2018 12:09 PM
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Cole

Posts: 68176
Joined Forum: 07/22/2003



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I was right.
 04/08/2018 12:43 PM
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GoneSurfin595

Posts: 91
Joined Forum: 03/23/2004

Wonder if they follow the spinner shark migration. I'm always curious what they eat down here. Takes a bunch of calories to maintain that much mass. Spooky story...
 04/08/2018 01:47 PM
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dingpatch

Posts: 19032
Joined Forum: 07/24/2003

Can you say, , , , , , Food Chain?

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 04/08/2018 07:16 PM
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SRPHOTO

Posts: 819
Joined Forum: 07/19/2008

dude from your story it sounds like you were on the menu for a minute there.  glad u saw it in time..

 04/09/2018 04:42 AM
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dingpatch

Posts: 19032
Joined Forum: 07/24/2003

Having those heavies hanging around is not a good thing.

To get hit by a "Stitcher" (that's what they give you) is bad enough. Now, we may have to contend with "Head and Shoulders" (that's what they take)!

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Dora Hates You
 04/09/2018 05:13 AM
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coolchange

Posts: 144
Joined Forum: 08/28/2011

Thanks for all the great info guys- could have been our friend Hilton or one of his buddies without a tracking device?just keep your eyes peeled out there until the water gets warmer!!

 04/09/2018 09:20 AM
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dkaye

Posts: 2237
Joined Forum: 08/19/2007

crazy story bro, glad you made it ok!



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 04/09/2018 10:26 AM
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hurricane

Posts: 93
Joined Forum: 05/12/2004

I saw a giant hammerhead there long ago, fin was at least 2' high. I don't know what it is about that beach, but it seems to draw the big ones.
 04/09/2018 10:39 AM
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matt_t

Posts: 1315
Joined Forum: 10/21/2003

Manta ray fins can do that. had one come at me at monster hole like that about 15 yrs ago.. giant single fin, 3ft + out of the water.. sustained like that for a few seconds. it slowly went right under me as I shat my shorts.

 04/09/2018 11:06 AM
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rc

Posts: 1147
Joined Forum: 01/02/2006

Friday, March 30 I was surfing in Sat Bch and my brother was down a couple hundred yards south of me and he saw what he said was a 12 footer heading north (towards me). The first time he saw it, he stayed out. The 2ndtime, he went in. He asked if I saw it, I said no, but I had one of those "shark feelings" during that session. No siting, just that feeling you sometimes get. The 6th sense.
 04/09/2018 11:47 AM
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3rdworldlover

Posts: 22494
Joined Forum: 07/25/2003

Manta, common sighting there this time of year.
 04/10/2018 06:32 AM
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Plan B

Posts: 3302
Joined Forum: 03/08/2004

I was going to post the ocearch link that sunrise surfer did.  The general concensus is that they travel south following the Right Whale migration.... picking off calves, weak whales, and free meal of the "afterbirth"

But seeing that one down off Key West

 

3rdworldlover is also correct.  Mantas start showing up as the water approaches 70+  Once I had a BIG one come up underneath me and saw a wingtip come up on each side of me.  They're relatively harmless, but I wont lie... it scared the $#it out of me.... (especially with St. Aug's ice tea, no visisiblity water.... imagination can run wild)

 04/10/2018 09:01 AM
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tastywaves

Posts: 446
Joined Forum: 11/14/2009

I was surfing with my buddy a few years ago, pretty sure it was april as well, down past bethune at the national seashore and we had a similar encounter. Very large fin pops up 20 feet in front of my buddy and in my mind, I quickly dismissed the possibility of it being a dolphin, a ray, and also a bull shark due to the color, height, and sheer size of the fin. We both raced back onto the beach, sat in silence for a good 15 mins in disbelief. We luckily have no idea if it was just cruising, maybe checking us out, but it was very sketchy and humbling to know you are no where near the top of the food chain in that situation. 

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