Man Bites Shark...Sort of

In true mob-mentality fashion, a harmless, toothless sand shark was taunted and manhandled by beachgoers off Coney Island over the Labor day weekend. Luckily, lifeguards save fish, too. The lifeguard noted that nearly 100 swimmers were surrounding the fish and some were hitting it. The shark's saviour swam out, took the fish from the unruly group, and then continued swimming to deeper water before releasing it. The sand shark, like the one seen here, is not a threat to man. I've caught and released many of these fish, and they're as docile as your puppy dog.


Granted, there was leftover hysteria from a report of a five-foot wayward thresher washing up on Rockaway Beach a day earlier, but even this shark while toothy and intimidating with its large whiptail, is not a true threat or maneater. In fact it's well-known that threshers come into the shallows during the summer to birth their litters on nearby reefs where food is plentiful for their pups.

Either way, Jaws was 30 years ago, and it's perfectly safe to go back in the water.