As a charter boat captain, one of the most popular questions on 0ur Hilton Head Boat Tours is: Will we see any sharks?
The quick answer is – No. Not unless it is on the other end of a fishing hook. You see, sharks, unlike dolphins, don’t need to come up for air to breathe. They process air when water goes through their gills and as they swim forward through the water.
Sharks in the news:
This is a crazy story that I was rehashing with one of our Hilton Head Boat Tours recently. Apparently, it was “raining sharks” on Hilton Head. A shark fell into somebody’s yard from the sky during a rainstorm on Hilton Head Island. The theory is that a bird of prey must have grabbed it and dropped it mid-flight. Experts have surmised that it was probably a catfish – but why let the truth get in the way of a good story, right? Want to get the full scoop – here’s the article link:
Baby shark or catfish? You decide what eagles dropped from the sky into a Hilton Head yard (msn.com)
Does Hilton Head Island Have Sharks?
This is another popular question that I get a bunch on our Hilton Head Boat Tours. The answer is a resounding yes! They are not just in the open ocean. The waters around Hilton Head are home to many different species of sharks:
- Bull Shark
- Hammerhead Shark – These are the strangest looking animals with eyes on the flat side of the head
- Bonnethead
- Tiger Shark
- Blacktip – Check this video I found on YouTube of a 200-pound blacktip shark caught on Hilton Head. This is nuts! These guys – just wow! GIANT Bullshark Caught in Hilton Head Island! – YouTube Spinner Shark
- Great White Shark (yikes!) – Large shark and Apex predator!
Has Hilton Head Island had any attacks?
Shark attacks, in general, are extremely rare. How rare, you ask? On Hilton Head, there have only been 18 reported attacks in the last 100 years.
I want to go shark fishing; who should I call?
Chip on Outcast is your guy! He runs out of our Marina, and I see him all the time. Chip is a local legend and has been on Shark Week on the Discovery Channel for years. I would call a year or two in advance; as rumor has it, he is already booked for the 2023 season. Insider tip – Chip releases all the sharks he catches, but not before getting amazing pictures of them. For more about booking a Hilton Head Boat Tour with Chip – check out his website here – http://www.outcastfishing.com/
What tools do I need to look for shark teeth?
A shovel and a 99-cent pasta strainer from the dollar store.
What is the best way to not get attacked?
- Stay out of shark-infested waters. S-M-A-R-T.
- For locals, no swimming between the dolphin head beach and the mainland. Avoid places with steep drop-offs and areas between sandbars.
- Stay away from fishing activities. You know, the people who chum the water near popular beach areas – avoid those people. That, and also – where there is active fishing. Think chartered fishing boats, shrimp boats, etc.
- Avoid swimming at dawn and dusk when sharks are known to feed. Which means no swimming on either our Hilton Head Bachelorette Party or Hilton Head Sunset Cruise.
- Swim with other people, don’t swim alone. That one makes me giggle a little. I keep thinking about that joke, “I don’t have to swim that fast; I just have to swim faster than you.”
- Wearing jewelry is not such a good idea.
- Splashing about – let’s say that’s not a good idea and leave it at that.
- Bright and flashy colors can catch their predatory eye – so maybe that sweet dayglow pair of board shorts isn’t the best idea.
- If you have an open wound – the salt water isn’t the place to clean it. They can smell blood from a quarter of a mile away.
This question made me laugh out loud. The other day, I got it from a guest on a Hilton Head Boat Tour –Does peeing in the water attract sharks? That is a myth. I’m not telling you to do it – I’m just saying that the experts don’t think it will attract them.
Fun facts that I share with kids about sharks:
- They don’t have any bones.
- Babies are called “pups.”
- Whale sharks can grow to be 45 – 50 feet!
- They can smell blood in the water up to ¼ of a mile away.
- Before they had the name “shark,” sailors used to call them “sea dogs.”
- The average shark can swim at around 5mph. Although some can swim at 35mph when attacking prey.
- Our sharp toothed friends existed before dinosaurs. They have been around for over 420 million years!
- They are solitary animals – so they don’t hang out in groups like Dolphins do.
- This is crazy – but they can see in the dark
- This just in, they have a lot of teeth. They can go through an average of 20,000 in a lifetime.
- They can live up to 20-30 years in the wild.
About the Author
Captain Neil runs Hilton Head Boat Charters. They provide premium 2-and 4-hour private Hilton Head Boat Tour of the low country. You can check them out at www.hhiboatcharters.com
