The seal that got attacked in front of my car while I was dropping bait in the kayak in August was less then 10 feet from shore. So stay very close!

That's what the marine biologist said on TV, that they are observing tagged sharks spend a lot more time, a lot closer to shore.

Scary to me, is that this kid was killed in the middle of the day, I think people always hoped that if people avoided dusk through dawn, they'd be OK. That was middle of the day on a clear day.

Let's face it, it's human nature!
Just like people slowing down to check out a car crash...they will come to the sea hoping to see something (or someone) get attacked.

Yeah, I know it sounds morbid, but people are people, and you can't change that.

There were 88 shark attacks world wide and 5 deaths in 2018. When you add up all the people in the water in Australia, northern California, South Africa, and cape cod, statistically there are a lot bigger things to worry about than great whites. The guttural fear of being eaten distorts it. I don't put my kids in that water, but there is little justification for the phobia.
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I'm not scoffing at the idea of shark attacks on the cape but, there were 65 deaths as the result of auto accidents on cape cod between Jan 2007 and July 2010. You and your passengers are in more danger on the road, driving in your car.


Interesting chart below




https://static.lakana.com/nxsglobal/...0_1280_720.jpg

Now that I'm a local I'll guess I'll chime in.

Say this to yourself out loud right now and realize how silly it sounds. "I'm not going skiing out to Lake Tahoe because mt lions live there...

Saying I'm not coming out to the Cape because of the sharks is just as silly as that. A little education and common sense go a long way. swimming/surfing/body boarding 100 ft off shore at any time of the day is a huge risk anywhere on the outer cape and inside CC bay at this point. the warmer waters of the vineyard sound are probably a much safer bet. I'm sure there are some whites around by me, but probably not many and definitely not their hunting ground. All fall I saw ONE seal for 4 days straight then he was gone.... no food no resident sharks...

if you are that concerned about your kids why not keep to the shallow flats and tell your kids not to go to deep. If you see seals get the hell out he water...

or go swim in one of the hundreds of freshwater ponds.

Early summer nights way out on the flats I may be a little cautious to have a bleeding bass on a rope.
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I'm a numbers guy, I get it. But I think there's all kinds of justification for the paranoia applied to kids.

My three boys want to spend all day riding waves. I'm looking for a safe(r) place to do that.

And again, I saw that biologist say that they are seeing a change in behavior, that tagged sharks are spending more time in close to shore.

A water park with the wave action machine pool would be the safest bet. but I think those are in places like Arizona

Its a shame to not enjoy the surf or let our kids enjoy it like we had when we were young.

As a parent is hard to not be over protective.

That said. I spent a time in california on beaches frequented by sharks was always surprised by the amount on surfers in the surf, disregarding the posted warnings of great whites or recent activity of whites.

There they are ...the surfers....soaking in the water..like perfect seal decoys. The surfers taking the risk because they know the probability is low. As noted you should have a larger fear of the wonderbread truck that might take you out...than a shark. You know those trucks lurk right in your neighborhood.

Speilberg even did a film about killer trucks in his early film "Duel"... but i warn you after seeing it you will never want to drive a car again....hahaha.


As noted. Educate yourself on the conditions that put you at risk.

I would personally stay clear of the beaches that have had activity.
Stay away from seals and stained water. Lower you risk of a white making a mistake. Whites are not monsters waiting for an opportunity to eat people.

Last year we did some snorkeling on the cape in spite of the incidents. I will do the same this year. To not enjoy the cape because of these incidents is irrational and not a lesson i would want to teach my daughter.
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Man, Forget about the sharks for a minute, lets talk about these
DAMN HORSE FLIES!!! 100% chance of being attacked!
Enough to keep me out

hahaha...horse flies? You mean the green heads.

If you dont breath...they cant find you. I do not breath when I am in the dunes. Its like being underwater....hahahahaha.

I used to have a blue truck when fishing Nauset beach in the day.
Those little mofos loved the color.
Perfect color match of the traps in the marsh... yeesh !
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Bass hole Yarmouthport is green head capital of the world....
SO thick one day got scared and took the kids back across under water most of the way....
Hate those things... but luv that warm weather:-)

Saw a black lab in Westport once covered in the damn things....he seemed friendly, but no owner around. He kept trying to approach me...unfortunately the pack of 50 or so green heads followed him.
I ended up in the water, as did he....but he didn't get low enough to lose them....saw him twitch every time he got bit, poor guy....felt so bad as they were all over his face...:huh: ...didn't know what to do, couldn't find any owner either, some people shouldn't own dogs

the population is prob at its highest point its ever been for any of our lifetimes. 350+ fish. your a fool if you surf/board the back beaches. like whistling through the graveyard. plus the fact that there are juveniles around - and we all know juvis of anything are pretty stupid in general

I'm WAAAAAY more worried about the ridiculous out of control tick population here on Cape Cod and the vineyard then I am about the 350+ sharks in the ocean....

A $10 blue hardhat covered with grease will get covered with dead greenheads and you won't.

Good to know. Hate those buggers.