Mile 31 - Otter Point State Wayside, Bailey Beach - August 11, 2009

Report Details

I have been actively fishing (both commercial and sport) for 60 years. I have seen many different types of sharks. I have the dubious distinction of having been hit by the tail of a thresher shark that was still alive, wrapped in a wing of a net. However, I have never seen a shark like the one I've described above. Formidable looking, even at 4ft length!

Conditions

Temperature: 60 F. Cloud Cover: Foggy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: NW. Tide Level: 1.0 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 8. Number of dogs: 3. Walking or running: 8.

Stranded Marine Mammals

Total stranded mammals: 3. Three animals on the beach today (not counting homo sapiens): (1) A shark about 4ft long. I observed it as well as Beach Walker “Nancy”. We both think it was a Great White Shark. It was in good condition (except for being dead). I looked at a number of websites with GWS descriptions. It fit the descriptions quite well, except that GWS’s are listed as 5ft long at birth.(2) A dying murre. Head and neck were full size but the body was small. Possibly starving to death. (This has happened on this beach in previous years, when the fish they feed on don’t show up.) It was still alert, head up, but not moving and not on it’s feet. The seagulls were starting to close in on it.(3) A full-grown harbor seal. It had no pup with it. It was staying in one place, in spite of the people gathering near it. It appeared to be in distress. It was holding its head with the nose pointed straight up and not moving.

Driftline Content

Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Small rocks.