"There have been other shark attacks on Cape Cod, but this is the first fatality in the state in 80 years."

https://www.thedailybeast.com/shark-...t-off-cape-cod

And to get you in the mood for next summer -


about the 1916 Jersey Shore attacks which inspired Jaws -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey...ttacks_of_1916

Sharks are always at the back of our mind here in Australia so bought a cheap copy of the book a few months back; well written I thought, evoking the times and, for the reader at least, the foreboding. Surprised to learn that despite what must have been known of the experiences of seafarers, the conventional wisdom of the time was that sharks didn't attack humans in temperate waters.

Cape Cod’s Wellfleet Beach, tragic.

Here's a guy obsessed with sharks -

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.2a9985ebc904

In the time it took you to post this 60 people were killed as a direct result of mosquitos.

i have been in the water with most things with a fin, sharks by a long way are the most beautiful. We kill 60 million of them a year, they kill around 5 of us a year.

Which species should be afraid?

and yes Peter Benchley has everything to answer for.

In some parts of the world, for example Australia and South Africa, sharks are at the backs of most people's mind at the beach (and many of us have a shark story), and when out beyond the breakers, something brushes our leg, or when we first see what turns out to be a dolphin, we do not think of something 'most beautiful', let me tell you!

Attacks in Australia waters at least have been more frequent in recent years and just in the last day or so we've had these -

https://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/q...be6775d32142a1

The Cape Cod fatality was apparently the first in the area for 80 years, so is presumably even more newsworthy and something a potential beachgoer might want to be aware of.

In the seven years we lived in Western Australia, there were 18 shark attacks off the coast of WA, nine of them fatalities.

In the seven years 2007-2013 there were 221 drowning deaths in Western Australia.
In July of this year there were 7 drownings in one week off Cape Cod.

Shark attack deaths make headlines but are minor by comparison.

"Shark attack deaths make headlines but are minor by comparison." Fortunately yes, numerically speaking, and may they stay that way.

In my part of the world at least, many or even most drownings are linked to excessive alcohol consumption.

In any event, I know which one I'd choose... with or without the benefit of a few drinks beforehand.

I was there last week and had a boogie board. The shark signs were everywhere. It was freezing cold our four days there so didn't even go into the water. I live near New Smyrna Beach and we have shark bites often but never anyone killed. He must have lost a lot of blood quickly. My Cape Cod friend would never go into the Ocean. We did enjoy the lakes of NY. I won't go into a Fl lake ever. Gators scare me. It is tragic and people will be afraid for years now.