Good points, Charles. I may be biased toward the side of caution because of
what I saw most times I visited the Gulf - shore fishermen chumming right at
those popular recreation areas, instead of moving well away from places
where families gather. Heck, I love to fish, but I darn sure wouldn't try
to attract sharks near family picnic/swimming areas.
I tend to regard nurse sharks as a bit more aggressive than the others, but
the fearsome looking hammerhead (fairly common in the Gulf) is quite
harmless. I don't see how a thing with that head shape manages to eat at
all! Anyway, I've heard of far more sea critter-related injuries from
stepping on ray tails and jellyfish. And a person is probably 10 times as
likely to step on broken glass at the beach.
The greatest danger swimming on the Gulf side is drowning. Folks really
need to choose carefully where to swim or snorkel. There are places with
sharp drop-offs and strong undertow. When I was a kid I loved swimming in
places like that along the Atlantic Coast, but I sure wouldn't let my kids
or grandkids have *that* kinda fun.
BTW, as a teenager I once caught a sea snake in the Gulf off the Texas
coast. That completed my childhood dream to see every poisonous snake
indigenous to North America in person. For some reason I've seen most of
'em while fishing - coral snakes in Central Florida, moccasins in Texas
(just about every doggone time I go fishing). I sometimes carry my XA2 and
a flashlight with me to shoot moccasins (OM content). I prolly oughtta
carry a gun instead.
My son-in-law just returned from a trip to Destin and said the water is so
clear he managed to see just about every native critter except the manatee.
Lex
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