Kayaking expedition explores ‘Nobody’s River’
Kayakers make history with incredible waterfall run
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Vanderham releases edit of dream bike trip
Camp at Elk Neck State Park for kayak adventure
Surfer Mary Osborne explores plastic pollution
Kayaking expedition explores ‘Nobody’s River’
Kayakers make history with incredible waterfall run
Kayaking 101: Picking out your paddle
Vanderham releases edit of dream bike trip
Camp at Elk Neck State Park for kayak adventure
Surfer Mary Osborne explores plastic pollution
Close Encounters An Outdoor // Nature Blog

Florida anglers liven up spring break, reel large sharks onto crowded beach

Lifeguards don't like it, but no laws were broken

Thousands of sharks migrating off Florida have made headlines recently, mostly because of spectacular aerial footage showing the predators cruising through aquamarine coastal waters.

But over the weekend a group of Palm Beach fishermen decided to take advantage of the phenomenon and themselves made the news by reeling two large blacktip sharks onto a beach crowded with college students on spring break.

Fortunately, the area in question–Midtown Beach–was one of many in the area closed to swimmers because of the great shark migration, which typically coincides with spring break.

They probably were extra-glad to be ordered to stay out of the water after enjoying an up-close look at the sharks and their mouths full of teeth.

Fishing on the beach is legal, so lifeguards and police did not stop the fishermen.

“Well, they’re here anyway you know. So it’s not like we’re attracting them,” Tom Kieras, one of the fishermen, told WPTV.

Jeremy Stanley, a lifeguard, did not appreciate the anglers reeling Jaws onto the beach, saying they could have been bit if a shark was pushed a certain way in the surf or if it lunged unexpectedly.

Others did not appreciate that the anglers were harming the sharks, but Joshua Jorgensen, one of the anglers, said they were collecting swabs from inside the mouths of the sharks for research.

“Some people got opinions and they can have their opinions,” he said. “But the law is the law. And the law says we’re allowed to be here.”