Man's condition not serious after shark bite, EMS says
ISLE OF PALMS — A shark bit a man on the forearm Friday afternoon while he was swimming at the beach near 31st Avenue.
It was the second shark bite at that beach this year.
The 24-year-old Isle of Palms man swam out from the beach about 2 p.m., Fire Chief Ann Graham said.
"He said the shark jumped out of the water and bit him," Graham said.
The man was taken to a local hospital, and his condition was not serious, Charleston County EMS said.
Police and firefighters combed the beach, warning swimmers to stay out of the water.
"We didn't close the beach but we were advising the swimmers, and it was their decision whether they wanted to stay in the water or not," Graham said.
A shark bit another man in the hand June 26 while he was swimming a short distance from the beach near 7th Avenue.
The 37-year-old told authorities he was swimming in breaking waves when the shark nipped his hand. He described the shark as being nearly 5 feet long.
The man's wound didn't appear to be serious. He went to East Cooper Medical Center in a personal vehicle after declining a ride in an ambulance.
There were several shark bites reported on the Isle of Palms last year. Mayor Mike Sottile attributes the attacks to an increase in human population.
"We have more and more people coming to the beach, and you just need to be aware of your surroundings and pay attention to where you are in the water," he said.
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Comments
This article has 23 comment(s)
Posted by waterbug on July 12, 2008 at 7:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yep, (lol)be aware of your surroundings. ( water, water everywhere.)Pay attention to where you are in the water.( I better stay here this is a no shark zone!!!!!!!!!!!!).
Posted by shoelaces on July 12, 2008 at 7:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mmmmm.....tastes like chicken!!
Duh, we swim in their soup bowl we might become lunch.
Posted by ForPnC on July 12, 2008 at 8:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree shoelaces. If someone was in my house I'd attack too.
Posted by rjcontego on July 12, 2008 at 8:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
this is written in the typical "scare-tactic" media mode of reporting these days...the media knows the public can tell “authorities” anything they want, so it’s not a fact, but reporters can write it like it’s a fact...but I digress, did an independent observer ever see a shark in any of these episodes....this is rarely noted in these types of stories (but the media "doesn't want facts to get in the way of a good story")…(a sublime example is the “facts” presented in this quote: "He said the shark jumped out of the water and bit him," Graham said.,,,,)
Posted by shoelaces on July 12, 2008 at 8:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Here fishy, fishy, fishy.
We will be at a different beach today.
Chomp!!!!
So much for the theory that our local sharks were only eating tourists...this one was a local...
**Seriously though, I am glad the bite isn't bad and he will be OK.
Posted by grannyofsix on July 12, 2008 at 9:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
we were Out at Edisto Sunday, and saw one. we stayed close to the shallow part only got my feet wet . after seeing the shark didn't need the swim that bad. not to many people went into the water that day
Posted by ysillyme on July 12, 2008 at 9:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
rj--Warren Peper said last night a lot of times a shark bite is mistaken for a bluefish bite, good point about independent verification of sighting. Seems like if he was bitten by na shark there would have been more damage than reported.
Posted by common_sense on July 12, 2008 at 9:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I see the Ohio repellant is working.
I'm just sayin...
Posted by RTC on July 12, 2008 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It jumped out of the water and bit him?
Those dang jumping sharks will get you everytime.
Sounds like a scene from a Jaws movie.
Posted by mrmachi on July 12, 2008 at 9:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ohio repellant?!! Love it.
Posted by tallblonde on July 12, 2008 at 10:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
**Fins to the left....Fins to the right.....**
Posted by counterpoint on July 12, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LOL @ "ohio-repellant"
**tears**
Posted by counterpoint on July 12, 2008 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Never even considered bluefish... thanks for the alternate (and likely) explanation.
P&C - do some research and let us know... send some reporters to flail around in the surf.
Posted by armymom on July 12, 2008 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I thought the doctors who examine the wounds could verify if it was a shark bite?? I guess no one asked them...
Posted by ysillyme on July 12, 2008 at 11:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Dear P&C--along w/ some reporters please send the site managers team to flail in the surf like you do in your editorial oversight. Sharks like bottom feeders.
Posted by GG on July 12, 2008 at 11:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ysillyme - HA! Bottom Feeders! I love it!
Yep, the older I get the more suspicious I get of these media folks, especially these young know-it-alls who are fresh out of a liberal college journalism program.
The talking heads on TV spout out info like they are experts. We don't just get the facts anymore. Every report has some sort of editorializing. All it takes is a change of adverb, and it is a totally slanted story.
Unfortunately, too many folks believe what they hear on the news instead of thinking for themselves.
Posted by auger on July 12, 2008 at 2:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Remember now shoelaces, it could have been a bluefish. The fact that he said it jumped out of the water makes me wonder if it was a shark. Sharks feed by biting, twisting, and ripping. They have no leverage to do so if they are in the air. Also, in water that shallow, a shark, a relatively slow swimmer in the fish world, would have trouble getting enough speed to leap. I stand by my theory that local sharks prefer tourists "the other white meat" over locals.
Posted by Picky on July 12, 2008 at 3:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Was either swimmer wearing a watch or something shiny on his wrist or hand? Many fish (though never sharks that I've heard of) will snap at shiny things.
Posted by ashleyriver on July 12, 2008 at 3:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm reminded of a scene from one of my all time favorite movies--"Absence of Malice". A Miami newspaper reporter is doing an article on a missing person and employs the term "shark infested waters". Another reporter (Sally Field) admonishes her saying so as not to scare the tourists, they only use the word "shark" if one walks out of the water and assaults a policeman........the other reporter smiles and says, "OK, fish-infested waters."
Welcome to the ocean!
Posted by OldSalt on July 12, 2008 at 4:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
As an attorney I continue to swim without fear of shark bite...for the same reason I don't have to wear snake boots when I go huntin'...professional courtesy.
I do have to watch out for those pesky jelly fish, however, and when I stay on shore, people have a nasty habit of trying to push me back in the water, yelling, "he's beached! He's beached!"
It's always safer to go the beach with friends, and they are always eager to help bury me in the sand - completely.
Finally, alas, there is no such thing as 100% effective Yankee repellant - snow will always provide an immunity to such things.
Posted by gr8ful on July 12, 2008 at 5:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What about: "We didn't close the beach but we were advising the swimmers, and it was their decision whether they wanted to stay in the water or not," Graham said.
???
Are they serious? They considered the bite on his hand to be dessert rather than an appetizer, so you could stay in the water if you wanted?
Tourism more important than human life?
Bluefish...they'll screw with their dollar every time, won't they...psshh.
Posted by belovedbliff on July 12, 2008 at 7:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, you are right about the P and C reporting ways. Right now, they won't do a story on a downtown school administrator because only the students are verifying what the administrator did.
Posted by armymom on July 14, 2008 at 9:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I got to work today to discover my boss knows the guy. He never said the shark jumped out of the water...AND his arm is in bad shape! His arm from the elbow down is not functioning at all!! Something about tendons being severed. They will operate after 3 days time, when they know what is what. [something about how the shark shakes its head when it bites in, tears the meat up] Anyway, I think its a shame that the article says the guy's condition wasn't serious. Not life threatening, but def serious!