Shark Encounter at the Beach

Measuring in at 95 Inches

With all of the news about shark attacks this year, we had our own shark encounter on the beach. We were spending the day at the beach in the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge and some youthful fishermen near us on the beach hooked a large, 95 inch, nurse shark and brought it to shore.

Nurse Shark

It was awesome to see such a beautiful creature up close and personal. Really up close. 

They were very gentle with the shark, which did not even attempt to attack anyone, but only wanted to get back into the water. 

Getting the Shark back into the Water

They measured the catch, removed the hook as best a possible without hurting the animal and released it back into the water so that the shark could get back to living. 

I have seen these sharks in the water, but seeing this large specimen up close was really a treat. Even though I know they are generally docile in the wild, I still give them a wide berth.

Everyone was very excited and the shark was treated with the utmost respect as an apex predator who was definitely out of his element.

I love the ocean and I enjoy mutually beneficial encounters between myself and the creatures which inhabit it.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Jupiter, Florida