Beachgoers unfazed by increase in shark encounters on LI
Lifeguards walk on Smith Point County Beach in Shirley on the Fourth of July. Credit: James Carbone
Long Islanders showed this weekend that they’re not afraid to go back into the water.
Despite at least one shark sighting last week, and two lifeguards who were bitten by sharks off Fire Island and Ocean Beach, Long Islanders and visitors flocked to South Shore beaches and splashed in the ocean this weekend.
Water scooters patrolled Point Lookout Town Park while lifeguards on surfboards and in rowboats checked the perimeter of the coastline as the Town of Hempstead’s Shark Patrol searched for the predators.
But even with the recent increase in shark activity, most beachgoers were unfazed by the possibility of being approached by the big fish.
“You can't sit here in the sun and not go into water,” said Kelly Dempsey, 31, of Hicksville. “I don't have an issue going in the water if I don't see them. I make sure I only go where my feet can land in the sand and always try to stay alert.”
Abigail Kavanagh, 22, of Levittown, said she’s more concerned about rip currents than sharks when she's swimming.
“I know there is a danger every time I go into the water, but I love the water and I trust the lifeguards,” she said. “As soon as I hear whistles, I make sure to get out."
Swimming was prohibited on Sunday, July 3, at Smith Point County Beach in Shirley after a shark attacked a lifeguard, leaving him with non-life threatening injuries. Credit: James Carbone
Hempstead lifeguards said activity at beaches including Point Lookout, Lido and Nickerson has increased this summer, with some reaching capacity by midmorning.
The town has hired an additional 75 lifeguards to patrol four miles of coastline. They also monitor drone footage for sharks, as well as birds diving on gatherings of baitfish or bunker fish that have been known to attract sharks to the shoreline, said the town’s aquatic director, Justine Anderson.
Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin said the town’s Shark Patrol would be out daily after the recent uptick in sightings. There have been no sightings at Point Lookout this year, but last year sharks were spotted there around the second or third week of July.
“Over the last few years, we've actually seen more attacks and more sightings of sharks in this region than they probably have had in over a decade,” Clavin said. “It’s about taking precautions and giving people that comfort level. People are sensitive to sharks right now.”
At Point Lookout, Eric Halperin of Merrick sat on the beach while his kids ran back and forth from the water. He said they were comfortable with lifeguards watching and keeping kids in shallow water. His kids and their friends weren’t fretting, either.
“I’m not worried about sharks. They’re not scary,” said Riley Roth, 7, of Merrick, who joined the Halperins.
At Robert Moses State Park, lifeguards used a drone to investigate a possible shark sighting Saturday but found no activity along the coastline, park officials said. Swimmers at a packed beach at Field 4 were unaware or unbothered by recent shark sightings.
Denise DiChiarra of Muttontown watched as her children stood in the crashing waves. “We're in their habitat. We just need be careful and keep an eye out and use your brains,” she said. “As long as I can see my kids and I’m able to reach them, then I'm OK.”
John Lopez, 40, of Queens was riding a Boogie board hoping to avoid any close encounters. “I don’t want to see any sharks,” Lopez said. “My wife warned me about sharks. I only go out a few feet in the water.”
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
