Thursday, August 20, 2009

Real Life Jaws hunting Mass Waters..................


Two kayakers reported that they saw what they believe was a great white shark attacking a seal off Chatham over the weekend, saying they observed a large black fin slicing through the water near a seal in distress.The men, experienced sea kayakers who have traveled the area many times, said they saw a seal about 20 to 30 feet away jumping out of bloody water and a black fin just 4 feet away from it. The fin extended about a foot above the water.The seal jumped again, then swam toward the men and surfaced just 5 feet from their kayaks with “a big cloud of blood surrounding him,’’ said Bean.“There was so much blood in the water when he surfaced that we couldn’t see past his head and shoulders’’ to determine what his injuries were, Bean said. The seal then headed in the direction of the sandbar.
Greg Skomal, a shark specialist with the state Division of Marine Fisheries, said the men apparently witnessed a great white shark hunting down its prey, adding that the report came from an area where similar sightings have been made in the past.
“We think it’s a great white shark,’’ Skomal said. “There’s not many species of sharks in New England that would attack a seal. . . . It’s certainly not a new phenomenon. It’s a natural event that’s been going on for a few years.’’
With only thin hulls separating them from the ocean, the men pulled their kayaks together so as to appear bigger to the shark, following advice one of them had once received from a shark expert. Then they continued on their trip, Bean said.

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