Sharks again close beach at Shore
A group of sharks spotted off the Jersey Shore this morning prompted lifeguards to briefly close a beach on Barnegat Peninsula for the second day in a row.
A group of sharks spotted off the Jersey Shore this morning prompted lifeguards to briefly close a beach on Barnegat Peninsula for the second day in a row.
Three shark fins cut through the water about 9:30 a.m. near 10th Lane off Midway Beach, said Sgt. Nick Bruno who made the sighting. Swimming was banned for about an hour until the sharks moved south, he said.
"Usually when they're in that close to shore they're either sick or dying," said Bruno, who believed they might be five-foot sand sharks. "One definitely looked sick."
Midway Beach is directly south of Seaside Park, where sightings of two sharks yesterday caused lifeguards to close the beach for several hours.
"As of right now, there is no reason to be concerned," Bruno said of the sharks. "We're always on the watch anyway. Everyone is allowed in the water now."
On Monday, sharks were spotted off Ocean Beach north of Seaside Park, forcing lifeguards to close that beach for about a half hour, said Chief Michael G. Mastronardy of the Toms River police.
Barnegat Peninsula is separated from Long Beach Island by Barnegat Inlet.
Shark attacks are rare and there has not been a confirmed fatal attack at the Jersey Shore since 1926.
