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Shark sighting near Juno Beach forces swimmers out of water

Beach shut down for 20 minutes
Posted at 9:38 PM, Jul 11, 2022
and last updated 2022-07-12 08:49:38-04

JUNO BEACH, Fla. — Swimmers were forced out of the water Monday after sharks were seen swimming close to shore near Juno Beach.

Cayden Ross said he is always at the Juno Beach Pier fishing.

"Every day," he said.

He said there are so many sharks near the pier it's hard to reel a fish in because they're stealing them.

"Sandbar sharks are the worst, bull sharks, black tips," Ross said.

Whether you're fishing or swimming in the ocean, you'll eventually come across a shark.

Monday afternoon spinner sharks were seen near the sandbar at Ocean Cay Park. The water was cleared, ocean rescue flew double red flags, and the beach was shut down for 20 minutes.

Cayden was at the beach when all this went down. Wasn't it kind of scary?

"I mean, yeah if you're in the water, yeah," he said. "I would be nervous about getting bit."

The state of Florida holds the record for the highest amount of shark attacks in history at 896. For a little bit of contrast, Hawaii is next at 182. That's a huge decline.

Recently, there's been a trio of attacks spread across Florida. A surfer was bitten Sunday by a 6-foot shark at New Smyrna Beach. A woman was attacked in the Keys on June 29 and another in Keaton Beach days later.

Ross' friend said it doesn't help that people are putting fish in the water to draw sharks in near Juno Beach. He said you have to expect run-ins with sharks.

"Six years ago, this was not going on as much with the sharks as we do now," he said.

It appears sharks are following the bait fish and coming in closer to shore, hence, coming into contact with humans.