North Carolina experienced its seventh shark attack in a month Wednesday, just as the coast prepared for one of its busiest weekends of the year.
A 68-year-old man was bitten by a shark on Ocracoke Island around noon. Andrew Costello was swimming 25 to 30 feet offshore in waist-deep water when he sustained injuries to his left lower torso and hip, lower left leg and both hands.
He was airlifted to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, where he was in fair condition Wednesday evening, according to a hospital statement. The hospital could not confirm Costello’s hometown, but Boston media reported that he is a Massachusetts resident.
Lifeguards at Ocracoke Beach, in Hyde County, said the man was swimming directly in front of a lifeguard stand when he was bitten. The shark was 6 to 7 feet in length, according to Hyde County officials.
Mary Paisley, 48, of Hillsborough, was on the beach when the man was attacked. She said he swam to shallower water and was helped onto the sand by others at the beach. He was conscious while waiting for medical care, she said.
“Everyone was just concerned and calm and quiet,” Paisley said. “It was nothing like the ‘Jaws’ movie.”
About an hour after the attack, many people went back in the water, Paisley said. But she said she did not want her family to go back in.
“For the rest of the week, I don’t think we’ll be getting in the water except to get our feet wet,” she said.
Still, she said she would not think of cutting her vacation short.
That’s good news for North Carolina tourism officials. The Fourth of July holiday weekend is one of the busiest of the summer for beaches, according to Wit Tuttle, executive director of the state tourism office. He said the office has not seen significant cancellations and does not anticipate a drop in business.
Tuttle said that last summer brought a record number of visitors to North Carolina beaches, more than 6 million.
“We think we’ll have another record one this year,” he said. “These things are tragic, but I think people will understand they’re rare and isolated.”
Wednesday’s incident comes after attacks on the Outer Banks on Friday and Saturday.
Of the six North Carolina attacks in June, two teenagers bitten while swimming off Oak Island received the most serious injuries. Both had arms amputated.
North Carolina has averaged about three shark attacks per year in the past decade, according to the International Shark Attack File at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville. So, seven by July 1 this year is above average.
Experts have suggested a number of potential sources of the uptick – including more people in the water, warmer waters and rising shark populations.
Fewer surfboard rentals
At Duck Village Outfitters surf shop in Avon, about 20 miles from Friday’s attack, business is down.
“Normally, at this time of the week, I’m down to only a couple rental surfboards, and this week I’ve only rented out one,” Brad Kleman, manager of the Outer Banks shop, said Wednesday.
But other surf shops report minimal impact.
Chris Jackson, manager of Aussie Island surf shop at Wrightsville Beach near Wilmington, said some people ask about sharks when they rent boards but have not been deterred from surfing.
Kim Hufham, president of Wilmington’s tourism bureau, said she expects this Fourth of July weekend to be especially crowded because the holiday falls on a Saturday, despite some concerns regarding the attacks.
Shark fishing
In addition to large numbers of humans in the water, shark fishing near swimmers has been suggested as a factor in this year’s uptick in attacks. The June attacks prompted the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries to urge those fishing, especially for sharks, to do so away from swimmers and surfers.
Louis Daniel, director of the division, said he continues to encourage fishermen to use good judgment regarding when and where they fish. But he said it would not be feasible to ban shark fishing, because the bait and equipment used to catch sharks are similar to what is used to catch other fish.
“If you put a baited hook in the water, you’re shark fishing,” Daniel said.
He added that water this summer has warmed up unusually quickly, which draws sharks closer to the shore. Plus, federal regulations have long been in place to protect shark populations – and those populations are growing, he said.
Daniel said that with such a broad range of reasons for attacks, and little data, it is impossible to pick a single change of policy that would prevent further incidents.
He said swimmers can protect themselves by being more vigilant regarding conditions that might draw sharks, such as murky water. Other steps that beachgoers can take to reduce risk include: not swimming if you are bleeding, not wearing shiny items, and swimming near others.
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