anyone at VB see sharks today?

[canda]

The news just said that they closed the beaches around WPB today because of the all the sharks swimming nearby. Did that happen at VB too?

 

[DVC Jen]

Yikes!

Does anyone know if they do close the beach at the Vero Resort if sharks are spotted in the area? I would hope they do.

 

[CarolAnnC]

I have seen sharks swimming at all 3 of my Vero Beach trips. These were all in summer months, and there is a sign posting of the warning of sharks possibly in that area.

They did not close the beach. This seems to be a fairly common occurrence. But then, sharks do live there in the ocean, so should not be surprising. I did not swim, and preferred to stick to the pool for that. We did walk along the beach, and enjoyed it very much. But seeing those silvery fins slide through the water gave me chills.

I imagine if there were an attack on people, then they most likely would immediately close the beach.

 

[MnParrothead]

Both times we were at VB in March there were shark sitings by the public beach lifeguards. The lifeguards just make everyone come in out of the water until they pass (the sharks are pretty far out there though), which would be 20 minutes or so (I don't remember exactly).

We will be in VB on Sunday and I have told my teen sons and their friends only to swim at the public beach. Last time we were there in 2003 I saw a lifeguard save a swimmer that seemed to be out too far for his swimming ability.

By the way, I was told by locals that this is the shark's migrating season because the waters going up the coast are getting warmer.

 

[SnowWitch]

Out of our 5 VB trips we have spotted sharks 2 of those times, both early in the morning during walks. Have never seen them post anything though.


http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/1;14;12/st/20050505/k/98e8/preg.png

 

[lllovell]

The most welcome sight to me at the beach is dolphins. It is my understanding that they and sharks don't get along and don't share water space. I have been scared to death by a dolphin that got in too close to shore and couldn't roll so it looked like a shark for a bit, but I have never seen one in close to the beach.

 

[AFMom]

We've spent a lot of time of FL beaches, and then saw an overhead photo of the beaches we spend the most time at..... sharks everywhere! But we've never been bothered by them. I do know it's recommended not to swim at dawn or dusk - so we never swim then - but shark attacks are VERY rare - they usually are all around and we never know. I wouldn't worry - swimming in the ocean is such a wonderful feeling!
Hopefully the large number of sharks will move on away from there - but there will always be sharks in the waters near the shores. Public beaches are always a good idea - but lifeguards save a huge number of people from rip tides and exhaustion and hardly ever have to have anything to do with a shark!
Have fun - people are not shark bait

 

[CharlesTD]

I just saw some pictures on the news of the sharks near Ft Lauderdale where they closed the beach man was htere ever lots of them.

 

[MiaSRN62]

and there is a sign posting of the warning of sharks possibly in that area.

We've only been to VB once---it was mid August 2000. We saw the board that posts shark/jellyfish/man 'o war sightings. We were doing ALOT of swimming when we stayed there. We rented jet skis too and they make you swim waaaay out to get on them. I recall that day very well. After we were done swimming and jet ski'ing, we went back to the room to shower for dinner. I had the local news on the TV and a shark had just attacked a 13 year old boy at Sattelite Beach. He was on a boogie board in waist deep water. The shark got him in the arm. I remember getting this eerie feeling knowing we were out there in pretty deep water and told my husband that Vero Beach is probably only about 30-45 min "shark time" from Sattelite Beach

 

[DVC Jen]

OK I have the willies now.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Just wanted to add.....as of right now (9 am est) on the Today Show with Matt Lauer and Katie Couric, they will be having a segment coming up on the shark situation at the FL beaches. They showed an ariel view of the shoreline at Delray Beach. LOTS of sharks could be seen swimming quite quickly---and they looked pretty big to me.
The segment will be coming up if anyone is online now and interested in watching.
edited to add this article : http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...rks17mar17,1,7688674.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

 

[JimMIA]

Yawn...We get these stories every year, whenever it gets cold up north! The TV producers scam themselves a trip to Florida for a week, and in return they try to find some horrendous story to justify the trip. When I was with the police department, I could predict the incoming calls from the networks by watching NYC weather! (They always had zero interest in good stories, incidentally. They just wanted doomsday stories.)

If they can't drum up some blood and gore, they'll go for a monster story -- alligators, sharks, alien spaceships landing in Two Egg...

The truth is, if you fly over the offshore sandbars just about anywhere in the world, you will see sharks. Florida is no different -- we have sharks, lots of them, and yes, some of them are big. They are always there -- they just seem to be more of a threat when New York weather is ugly.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I watched the Today Show segment. They said the sharks are actually migrating up the coast and may go as far as NJ because the weather is getting warmer up here. They stay in FL primarily during the winter months when the water in the northeast is freezing.
They are mostly Spinner and Black Tip sharks and range in length from 5-7 feet long. Their diet consists of small fish, but could be a danger to humans based solely on the confusion of people jumping and splashing in the water. Only 7 or so were spotted this morning at Delray, but they said 3 days ago they counted at least 100 swimming a mere 100 yards off shore.

they just seem to be more of a threat when New York weather is ugly.

And the weather up here in the northeast is slowly but steadily getting warmer (nowhere near quick enough for me though !). We'll hit 50 here in Philly (and I'm sure NY will be close to that) over the next few days (and this is warm to us after many months of frigid temps). It's a shame because the "no swimming" postings are gonna affect all the Spring Breakers.

 

[JimMIA]

Only 7 or so were spotted this morning at Delray, but they said 3 days ago they counted at least 100 swimming a mere 100 yards off shore.

100 yards offshore is hardly "mere!" That's a long darn swim in the ocean, and 4-5 times further out than most swimmers go. You go out 50 yards on any beach with a lifeguard and they are going to be calling you back in.

Also, the topography of most Florida beaches is a gentle slope for 100-200 yards, then a rise which is usually a sandbar at low tide. The sharks are usually hanging out on the oceanside of the sandbar, so there is more of a barrier there than you think, and unless you know what you're looking at, you won't recognize it from an aerial shot.

It's a shame because the "no swimming" postings are gonna affect all the Spring Breakers.

I'm not entirely convinced that swimming is what the Spring Breakers come to Florida for!

I think it's more and

 

[MiaSRN62]

100 yards offshore is hardly "mere!" That's a long darn swim in the ocean, and 4-5 times further out than most swimmers go. You go out 50 yards on any beach

I know Jim, BUT.....I'm sure the sharks are instantly attracted to bathers who are out 50 yards, splashing around---they have sonar or whatever and can detect movement/smells miles away ! Just a thought

I'm not entirely convinced that swimming is what the Spring Breakers come to Florida for!

Well perhaps it's not just the college kids I'm concerned about Lots of families with kids go down for spring break. I have friends from OK down there right now. Alot of the schools close for Easter break---my kids are out most of next week (and many schools are already out) and we have gone down to FL before during this time period. So I suppose I was looking at it from their perspective as well

 

[CharlesTD]

All the schools in Ontario Canada are out for March break during this week and start back Monday and many many families travel to Florida from here for this week.

 

[Alysa]

When you are facing the ocean, is the public lifeguard to the left of you? A lifeguard is the only thing missing from Vero, how I wish they had one!