Killer Beaches 2: More Killer, Less Filler
7/03/2008 at 3:05 PM
Tags: Killer-Beaches-2008, Summer Travel, Beaches (all tags)
There's only been one fatal shark attack since May's spate of incidents in Mexico. While that fact may give beachgoers a surge of confidence, the country's tourism industry is still reeling, and sightings of sharks from Brazil to South Carolina make it clear the toothy beasts haven't really gone anywhere.
But just because you're not hearing the "Jaws" theme doesn't mean you're any more safe on these patches of sand. Here then, is our second installment of Killer Beaches--just in time for the weekend!
Ba, Fiji
A night diver was bitten on his arms and face off the northwest coast of Fiji's largest island Viti Levu in May. He later died from his injuries in a nearby hospital.
A surfer attacked two years ago on the western coast was lucky; after the shark swam under his board to nip at his paddling arm, his fellow beach bums surrounded him to drag him back to shore.
Kamilo Point, The Big Island, Hawaii
The remains of a Kona man who left his camping friends to pick limpets washed up recently. Though the incident hasn't yet been declared a shark attack, there appeared to be bite marks on his body. If he was killed by a sea beast, he'd be just another casualty attacked in broad daylight on Hawaii's rockiest shores.
Ocean Beach, San Francisco, California
Only slightly less freaky than the severed feet washing up in Canada is the death of a 42-year-old man, who was found here in January and whose death was ruled a homicide in June. The man was discovered buried with his feet intact but multiple blunt force traumas, as well as sand in his lungs, suggesting he might have been beaten and then buried alive. Makes digging for sandcastles a little ominous, does it not?
The former amusement park is also dangerous for swimmers with its strong rip currents, which recently claimed a San Francisco man's life as he tried to save two preteens in the water.
Hammonasset Beach State Park, Connecticut
Four picnickers were injured and one was killed in June during a sudden thunderstorm here. In the late afternoon the Long Island Sound beachgoers, including a 12-year-old, sought shelter in a picnic pavilion which was then struck by lightning. The state park doesn't employ its own EMTs, which hampered the rescue effort when one of the injured parties couldn't describe to local emergency medical services where the pavilion was located.
Related Stories:
· More Killer Beaches! [Jaunted]
[Photo: goios]
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