Swimmers Ordered Out Of Water For Sharks At Cocoa Beach Pier

Categories: Shark

Swimmers Ordered Out Of Water For Sharks At Cocoa Beach Pier

At least two sharks were spotted south of the Cocoa Beach Pier on Tuesday, June 14, 2016

UPDATE: Sharks Spotted 2nd Day In A Row At Cocoa Beach Pier

COCOA BEACH, Florida – Swimmers were temporarily ordered out of the Atlantic Ocean by Brevard County Ocean Rescue lifeguards along a stretch of beach in Cocoa Beach, Florida after sharks were sighted swimming in the water about 50 yards from shore.

According to witnesses, two sharks were spotted about 100 yards south of the Cocoa Beach Pier around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 14, 2016.

After about forty minutes, beachgoers were allowed back into the water.

According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) 2015 Worldwide Shark Attack Summary, Florida ranks #1 in the number of unprovoked shark bites. Brevard County, which includes Cocoa Beach, ranks number 1 in the most amount of unprovoked shark bites in the Sunshine State.

Bonnethead, Hammerhead, and Blacktip sharks around 2-5 feet long have either been spotted or caught near-shore off of Cocoa Beach this week.

2016 could surpass 2015 for a record-breaking number of shark attacks in the U.S., according to shark expert George Burgess, director of ISAF.

Double red flags flew over a lifeguard tower at the Cocoa Beach Pier after sharks were spotted in the water.

How to spot sharks in the water: In addition to spotting the telltale shark dorsal fins, fish jumping out of water or sea birds hovering at the surface of the water could indicate the presence of feeding sharks. Swim near a lifeguard area (their elevated position on a lifeguard tower is better for shark spotting) and pay attention to warning flags.
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Swimmers were ordered to stay out of the water while sharks cruised nearby the Cocoa Beach Pier.

Photo credit: Brevard Times