Latest news with #PonceInlet
The Sun
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Inside ‘shark bite capital' where bloodthirsty beasts savage swimmers in shallows… but tourists face even bigger threat
WHEN people seek thrills in Florida, they typically head straight to Orlando's world-famous theme parks for an unforgettable adrenaline rush. However, just an hour down the coast, a different kind of excitement awaits in the Atlantic—one that doesn't require rollercoasters or long queues. 13 At first glance, the quaint seaside town of New Smyrna Beach appears to be the picture-perfect destination for sun, sand, and soaking up the glorious weather. Nestled on Florida's Atlantic coast, its golden beaches, diverse selection of restaurants, and vibrant spots to enjoy something cold and refreshing make for an idyllic summer holiday. The beach stretches for miles, vast enough for everyone to find their own space without the hassle of jostling for position. You can even drive along the sand to locate your ideal patch. Beneath the surface of this American dream, however, lies a sharper reality. Regularly dubbed America's 'Shark Bite Capital,' New Smyrna Beach has an unusually high number of shark encounters. Since the late 19th century, the area has recorded more than 300 bites—more than anywhere else in the United States. The reasons? It's not simply a matter of bad luck. While the rip currents, particularly near Ponce Inlet just north of New Smyrna, are a known hazard, the region's topography attracts a multitude of shark species. The inlet's man-made channel—approximately 40 feet deep—creates powerful currents that not only pose risks to swimmers but also draw schools of baitfish and other marine species. Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters These dense concentrations of prey attract sharks, which in turn lure anglers and surfers, who lap up the consistent offering of surfable waves. This creates a perfect storm for opportunistic blacktips, hammerheads, and spinners, who can gravitate towards the people in the water, looking for something to nibble on. In 2023 alone, eight confirmed shark bites occurred here, accounting for half of all incidents reported in Florida that year. In July 2024, four bites were recorded in the span of a single week. By comparison, Australia reported 15 shark attacks in 2023—four of them fatal—largely due to the presence of larger, more aggressive species like the great white. North American waters are typically home to smaller sharks, which are responsible for most bites and rarely pose a life-threatening risk. Seasonality also plays a role, as warmer summer waters attract fearsome beasts closer to shore. 13 13 Peak activity months run from April to October. Just days before The Sun visited New Smyrna Beach to speak to locals and surfers about the risks, a Floridian was hospitalised after being bitten. Matthew Bender had to go under the knife after his arm was left savaged - saying he felt the shark "clamp down like a bear trap out of nowhere". The threat - whether exaggerated by statistics or not - is real, and ever-present. On the main, picturesque stretch of white sandy beaches, families were happily enjoying the waves. Tom, a local in his 80s, said: 'I've lived here for 30 years. I've never seen anyone attacked by a shark on this part of the beach.' The only problem beachgoer Karen encountered was her little granddaughter growing tired and wanting to go home. 'Of course I've heard about this place being called the shark bite capital,' Karen explained. 'The stats are there, but I had no issue going into the water. I just stand near other people to make sure they get bitten first,' she added with a laugh. However, the situation is vastly different a few miles down the beach, where the inlet's currents are at their strongest. Earlier this year, The Sun spoke to Volusia County Beach Safety Captain Stephen Canfield, who admitted he was more worried about people drowning than being eaten alive. 13 13 But to get a clearer picture, we visited local business owner and surf club leader, Mike DeNato. Mike has surfed the lively waves of New Smyrna for decades and is all too aware of the risks. He explained that most incidents occur when people accidentally fall on a shark or step on one. As we spoke, a customer in Mike's pet shop, Cap'n Lu's, overheard the conversation and immediately dismissed the concerns, accusing us of exaggerating the danger. 'People get very emotional when you talk about sharks here,' Mike confirmed. 'Everyone has their own perspective. Some make light of it, saying, 'It's only a bite.' 'But it's not just a bite—it's traumatic. Seeing a shark next to you is terrifying.' Mike knows this firsthand. Recently, he encountered a massive 450-pound great white shark just metres away from him and a friend. While such sightings are rare, they're no less frightening. Thanks to advancements in tracking technology and research collaborations with groups like the ones at Florida Atlantic University, scientists are gaining valuable insights into shark behaviour and movement. This research is helping to improve safety measures for both locals and visitors. The shark Mike saw had been tagged by marine biologists and named 'Danny'. Researchers at FAU monitor these apex predators to observe their movements. Mike shared another story involving friends who mistakenly thought they had caught a broken fishing pole, only to realise it was attached to a shark. The creature began circling agitated surfers, but he managed to guide the group back to shore safely. 13 Despite these harrowing encounters, Mike remains undeterred from surfing. He recalled witnessing a woman in her 70s suffer a severe foot injury from a shark bite. Although she took some time away from the water, she eventually returned to surfing. In his role at the local Smyrna Surfari Club, the business owner and local surf veteran frequently advises young surfers - stressing the importance of awareness and reminding them that most bites occur in shallow water. 'I wouldn't swim in there,' he admitted. 'No matter how shallow it is.' At the locally renowned Red Dog Surf Shop, manager Caleb Johnston introduced us to SharkBanz—special bands designed to deter sharks. The device uses powerful magnets to disrupt a shark's electroreceptors, startling them and causing them to swim away. Caleb, an experienced surfer, has had his own close calls. In the early 2000s, he stepped on a shark's head while surfing. 'I felt the sharp edge of its teeth,' he recalled. 'It was like a burning needle going into my foot. I was in shock.' Though his injury required hospital treatment, Caleb considered himself lucky. Others haven't been so fortunate. Some of Caleb's friends have given up surfing altogether, still grappling with the physical and emotional scars of their painful,nightmare encounters. 'The toughest part is you never know if it'll happen again,' he admitted. Still, surfers continue to chase the perfect wave. With New Smyrna offering 365 days of action, the fun never stops. As The Sun visited a local surfing hotspot, two teenagers, Trey King and Jeremy Zahnle, were enjoying the waves. 'I think it'd be cool if I got a shark bite, as long as it's not life-altering,' Trey joked. 'The girls would love it,' Jeremy added. Surfers clearly won't be deterred. Events like the upcoming Pro-Am surf competition, organised in memory of legendary boarder Mike Martin, and the scholarships awarded by the Smyrna Surfari Club continue to inspire the community. 'The surf here is so good,' said Jeremy. 'It would suck if a shark bit me, but we know the risks.' 'If you let fear stop you from enjoying life, you'll be afraid of everything,' concluded Caleb. 'It's just nature. There are dolphins, turtles, sharks, and crabs. You have to take your chances and accept the risks.'
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Yahoo
Volusia sheriff: Remains of Atlantic Ocean diver who went missing in 2006 positively ID'd
The remains of an Atlantic Ocean diver who went missing off the coast of Ponce Inlet in 2006 have been identified, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office. Robert "Bobby" Martin, who was a 45-year-old condominium maintenance worker from New Smyrna Beach, went missing during a scuba diving trip in an eight-mile stretch of reefs called the "Party Grounds," some 22 miles east of Ponce de Leon Inlet. In 2007, scuba gear was recovered from a diving spot east of Ponce Inlet and was linked to Martin by tracing it to the dive shop that sold it, a Volusia sheriff's social-media post states. According to the sheriff's office, later in 2007, a woman walking along New Smyrna Beach discovered partial human remains and reported it to law enforcement. Those were two of the pieces Volusia sheriff's detectives and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Genetic Genealogy Investigations team used to help positively identify the remains as Martin's. Martin went diving with Lawrence and Rebecca Patterson on their boat Restless Native on Sept. 30, 2006. "According to two people diving with him, he surfaced, gave the signal that he was in distress, slipped beneath the surface and did not resurface," U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Donnie Brzuska said told The News-Journal in 2006. "They tried to locate him and couldn't find him." A few days after Martin's disappearance, Lawrence Patterson, then of Daytona Beach, described him to the News-Journal as someone who lived to "work, dive and sleep." Patterson said he and Martin were diving 80 feet below the surface, looking for lobsters, when Martin swam off on his own. Some 35 minutes later, Rebecca Patterson heard Martin call for help some 400 feet from the boat. "He was gone in the blink of an eye," Lawrence Patterson said at the time. A 30-hour Coast Guard search covered 240 square miles over the weekend Martin went missing. By the end, searchers were "confident" they were not going to find Martin alive, Brzuska had said. Martin worked at the Moontide condominium as a maintenance man. In his shop, Martin had posted pictures of himself in diving gear. His boss, the condo manager Tana Keith, remembered him as "hard-headed, but he had a heart of gold," as well as a "wonderful work ethic" and a "great sense of humor." A seashell-covered wreath was posted on the condo's door along with a notice to residents about Martin's loss. Someone posted a note on a nearby bulletin board: "Neptune caught himself a good one this time." Martin was listed in the Florida Crime Information Center/National Crime Information Center as a missing person in August 2008. "(Volusia) detectives exhausted all avenues to obtain a DNA match but were unable to identify or locate any potential family members, and their efforts came up empty," the sheriff's office post reads. It wasn't until January 2025 that the case started coming to a close. The Sheriff's Office post states that the Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office and funding from FDLE's Missing and Unidentified Human Remains grant led to a DNA match to one of Martin's family members. Data was submitted to Othram, Inc., for DNA sequencing and a database search. When it came back, FDLE experts conducted "extensive analytical and genetic genealogy research," providing the DNA match and positive identification of Martin in May. The medical examiner reviewed the case, including an inspection of the 2007 dive equipment recovery, and deemed Martin's death accidental, the Sheriff's Office said. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Diver's remains identified through DNA 19 years after he went missing
