What's With All The Shark Sightings In The Hamptons?
I’ve been told that sharks like the taste of hipsters in Montauk…
Lately there have been four reported shark sightings on the east end in recent weeks and local baymen have accidentally caught three large sharks so far this summer. One was a huge sand shark that looked terrifying, but was let go. The shark was caught by Sam Lester. Sand sharks are not harmful, even though this one was quite large, over 5 feet in length.
If I saw a five foot long ANYTHING in the water while swimming I think I’d freak out.
The main guy in the Hamptons when it comes to lifeguards is John Ryan Jr., who is the son of John Ryan Sr., and the entire family is like that lifeguard mafia in the Hamptons. They are in charge, and both of them have seen their fair share of large fish in the water. John Ryan Jr. stated, and quite accurately I might add, that people can confuse sunfish with sharks because they are so large. Sunfish are completely harmless, but do sometimes have their fin stick out of the water like a shark does and can be scary to people who don’t know what they are looking at.
Still, in Montauk, a shark sighting was reported at Gurney’s Inn, and in East Hampton, one was spotted supposedly at the Maidstone Club.
Is there anything to worry about? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Take it from me, a former lifeguard in East Hampton, who can tell you that there has absolutely never been a shark attack on Long Island, EVER. It’s never happened. You need to worry about being a strong swimmer and being smart about rip tides. That’s the worry.
Although I will admit that, even myself, when I go for a swim, can get in my mind that image of Jaws lurking beneath my feet…
Da dum…da dum….da dum, dum, dum, dum, dum, AHHH!!! I’M TAKING THE NEXT WAVE IN!
Enjoy the weekend 😉