Chances Of Shark Attacks Higher In South Carolina Than Any Other State In The Lower 48
We are taking a late summer vacation so I did a little research on where sharks are most likely to be hanging out this time of year. I was shocked to discover what one site had to say. According to Carolina Sportsman, chances of shark attacks higher in South Carolina than in any other state in the lower 48 states.
Chances Of Shark Attacks Higher In South Carolina
The University of West Florida did comprehensive research and discovered that beach goers are much more likely to be bitten in South Carolina waters than anywhere else in the continental United States. Erich Ritter is with the University and says while Florida gets most of the publicity for shark attacks, “South Carolina is where the true danger lies”. Now more shark attacks do occur in Florida but the survey takes into account the number of people and amount of days spent in the water. The study uses the number of people that enter the ocean on average.
Charleston, South Carolina Area Beaches
Carolina Sportsman features this quote about shark attacks higher in South Carolina. “According to the study, the most-likely place to be attacked by a shark is Folly Beach and other Charleston-area beaches. Swimmers there are three times more likely to have an unpleasant shark encounter than swimmers in Volusia County, Fla. – which includes Daytona Beach — commonly referred to as the “shark attack capital of the world,” and eight times more likely than any other Florida beaches.”
This Is Why They Like It There
And apparently it is all about the optimum hunting grounds around the Charleston, South Carolina area. The theory is there are bountiful estuaries created by the Cooper and Edisto river systems among others. And that is prime hunting and nursing ground for sharks.
The experts say swimming in the Charleston area, its 34 times more likely you will be attacked by a shark than anywhere else in the state. They add Myrtle Beach “isn’t the safest place to swim either”. You know where a shark won’t bite you? You will find me under my umbrella, in a lounge chair sipping my favorite beverage. The beautiful ocean looks amazing from there.
Sharks are not to be vilified. They are an essential part of the ocean. And the experts say chances are if you are bitten it is most likely by accident. People aren’t on their menu. And it’s their home not ours. I’ll respect that.
