The Dorsal Fin

YouTube user CaptainRichSmith11 recently posted the video above, which features a great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) going fin-to-fin with an Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus). I’m pretty sure the great hammerhead ended up winning the battle. I could have done with the “Jaws” theme music, but it’s still some nifty predation footage.

YouTube user mrputridinnards uploaded the above video to YouTube last week, which features a chance encounter with a great white shark at a depth of 170′. The spearfisherman was hunting amberjacks when the encounter occurred. Based on the verbal response of the diver/fisherman after the shark appears, it’s probably safe to say that he wasn’t expecting to come across a white shark on his dive. It sounds like he says something that rhymes with “duck,” but I can’t be certain.

Thanks to Shark Diver’s Underwater Thrills blog for bringing this one to our attention.

The Orlando Sentinel posted the above video yesterday which shows a spinner shark (Carcharhinus brevipinna) jumping over a surfer. The video was shot by Sentinel photojournalist Jacob Langston at New Smyrna Beach. Langston’s attention was focused on another surfer and did not initially notice the spinner shark’s leap while filming. It was not until he got back to his office and was reviewing the footage that he realized he had captured the jumping shark on video.

WPTV.com reports that a Florida dive instructor is expected to fully recover after being bitten in the leg by a blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus). According to the report, Daniel Webb of Jupiter, Florida was diving at about 70′ with a dive student when the shark bit on his leg and did not immediately let go. In fact, Webb told WPTV that he struggled with the reef shark for a few seconds before he was able to shake it off. Webb said the shark was acting “jumpy” and “weird” before it bit him.

Webb’s injuries required stitches and apparently staples based on an image that can be seen at WPTV.com. Despite his injuries, Webb told WPTV that he does not blame the shark for the incident. Dr. Daniel Kapp, Webb’s surgeon, said that he expects a full recovery from Webb over a two month period. Webb plans to return to the diving after his recovery and said, “All the creatures down there, even the sharks, are still just amazing creatures to watch.”

For more information, check out the full story at WPTV.com.

WPTV.com is reporting that the increased number of swimmers and surfers at Florida beaches over the Memorial Day holiday weekend statistically increases that chances of a shark attack. The report notes that sharks are migrating north along the Florida peninsula as water temperatures warm along the east coast.

The report also features the typical advice to help reduce the risk of shark attacks, including avoiding swimming at sunrise and sunset, staying in large groups, avoiding splashing, and leaving the water in a non-panicked manner if a shark is spotted.

The famous Guadalupe white shark photo also makes an appearance in the WPTV report.