Southeastern US White Shark Encounter Database

[pirate_diver]

Originally Posted by Runngo

So has anyone been tracking this beauty? Her name is Katherine, here is a link (one of hundreds) on the Great White that passed through West Palm, Ft. Lauderale, Miami, and into the Keys...I saw another bit on CNN of all places, guys have been spearing in Vero and Sebastian, and was harassed by a Great White...he actually filmed it.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/1...katharine.html

Yes. Katharine was one of the 5 sharks that was satellite tagged by our colleagues while working with the OCEARCH boat back in Cape Cod in August 2013. Katharine was not the shark that harassed by the white shark off Sebastian/Vero, as it was clear from the video there were no tags (and her tagging data shows that she was a little further north on that day).

Still exciting stuff. Katharine went all the way into the Gulf and was as close as 60miles off the Panhandle of FL. Now she is all the way back in the Mid Atlantic, off NC/SC and heading north. You can follow her (and the other tagged white sharks in the Atlantic: Betsy, Lydia, Mary-Lee, Genie) at www.ocearch.org.

[Runngo]

Thanks for that info! I'm not sure if that makes me more excited or sh*!@ scared to be spearing off the East coast of Florida. There is no real FII training for Great White Shark encounters, and though one can minimize the threat by taking due precautions like immediately boating fish or other things, when a Great White decides to stalk and creep up the damage is almost always fatal. We are not Great White table fare, but a sturdy knock or test bite is a scary thing!

[pirate_diver]

It's that time of year again everyone. Keep an eye out for those ever more common white sharks, and report your sightings here and on the website in the first post of this thread: www.unf.edu/sharks. Katharine has already been buzzing the NE FL area, poking her nose in around St. Mary's, Ponte Vedra, and St. Augustine area. I'm sure there are more out there. I always appreciate the sightings, and videos/pics are always a plus!

[Dieseldoctor250]

My buddy Craig Shaffer captians a party boat out of Cape Canaveral, and they hooked this specimen in the Pelican flats area on Monday 12-19-16.

estimated 15'

[jkent]

I had a very close encounter with a white shark 65 miles east of St. Simons Island on 8/17/17. While free diving at Navy Tower R4 a GWS charged in and then followed me up from a dive about 10 ft under my fins. Estimated length 14ft. Water Temp was 82 degrees.

[SpearMax]

Originally Posted by jkent

I had a very close encounter with a white shark 65 miles east of St. Simons Island on 8/17/17. While free diving at Navy Tower R4 a GWS charged in and then followed me up from a dive about 10 ft under my fins. Estimated length 14ft. Water Temp was 82 degrees.

Thanks for the sighting report jkent. I'll make sure Mike saw it. Tony

St. Simons is an island off the Georgia coast. It’s known for its salt marshes and sandy stretches like East Beach. A museum traces the history of St. Simons Lighthouse, rebuilt in 1872 after it was destroyed in the Civil War. Anglers fish off nearby St. Simons Pier, which offers views of Jekyll Island and migrating whales. North, boats travel to Little St. Simons Island, home to birds like spoonbills and gannets.