Posted at 8:41 p.m., Monday, May 22, 2006
Shark scare at North Shore beaches
Advertiser Staff
Two shark sightings at a pair of North Shore surf spots spooked swimmers today and prompted the posting of several warning signs.No beaches were closed, and some people ignored the warnings.
"If they want to stay, they're going to stay," said city EMS spokesman Bryan Cheplic. "There isn't anything we can do, unfortunately. We can post signs and warn people, but we can't force them to get out of the water."
At 1:30 p.m., surfers and lifeguards spotted two 13-foot sharks and two sharks measuring 6 to 8 feet long cruising near Chun's Reef and Piddleys.
At the time of the sighting, about 10 surfers and swimmers were in the water, and half of them swam ashore after lifeguards alerted people with bullhorns.
Shortly after the sighting at Chun's Reef, lifeguards spotted several other sharks near Lanikea, prompting lifeguards to deploy on jet watercraft to chase people out of the water. Most of the people in the water at Lanikea swam ashore after the warning, Cheplic said.
