Summer 2024 has been for lack of a better word… HOT…
So while some of us might be happy sitting in front of an A/C Unit all day, we might say that there is no better way to take advantage of the Summer weather and cool off than by heading to the beach!
That being said, there have been several “marine life” bites in the DMV area within the past few weeks, but fret not, here we are going to list out all those beaches that have had any recent ‘bite’ events and show you how you can check if any sharks are in the area!
Which beaches around D.C. have recently had a confirmed attack or bite
So far this Summer there have been several shark sightings and a handful of confirmed “marine life” bites to occur at DMV area beaches, specifically there have been four bite incidents to take place at Virginia Beach, Virginia – just a couple hours south of the capital.
Now, it’s worth noting that each of the four bite incidents to happen at Virginia Beach took place within one week and each incident resulted in what EMS only considered to be minor injuries that required basic first aid.
That being said, there have been no notable bite or ‘attack’ incidents at any other beaches around the DMV area this season, so you’re likely perfectly safe to swim as you please at just about any beach in the DMV area.
How to track any sharks that might be in the DMV area
The good news is that there is honestly not much shark risk in the DMV area, there may have been a few minor incidents as we mentioned earlier at Virginia Beach during early Summer, but officials are considering this event an anomaly and highly unusual for the area.
That being said, if you want an extra layer of comfort before you head to the beach and jump in the water, you can track the movements of all of the sharks along the East Coast that scientists have tagged over the years using the OCEARCH Tracking database.
The site not only lets you track tagged sharks all over the world, but it also features data on tagged sea turtles, dolphins, and even seals!
Are there any sharks currently in the DMV area?
Well, according to the most recent data available on the site, yes – there is one shark – Simon, a 9.5 ft male Great White – was last pinged on his tracker on April 16th of 2024 as being near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, just a few miles offshore from Cape Charles and Virginia Beach.
That being said, in case you don’t already know, Great Whites can travel great distances, so there is little concern that you’ll bump into Simon while out at the beach.
In fact, around the same time last year, Simon happened to be all the way North… well past Maine, off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada.