May 24, 2012
A local photographer captured hundreds of sharks swimming off our coast Wednesday morning off Carteret County.
Scott Taylor of Beaufort was on a shoot when the helicopter he was riding in passed between Shackleford Banks and Fort Macon off the Crystal Coast.
The photos show hundreds of sharks swimming in the group. Taylor said the helicopter pilot remarked he sees them all the time.
Taylor said when the helicopter dipped down for a closer look, the sharks seemed to be about four to six feet long.
There are 26 species of sharks considered to be the most common sharks of North Carolina, according to the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores website.
Researchers says the sharpnose shark, often referred to as a sand shark, is one of the most common sharks in our waters this time of year.
Bull sharks, blacktip, blacknose, sand tiger, spinner and hammerhead sharks are some of the species that swim off our coast in the summer months.
While the photos are frightening for some, it's important to remember that your chance of encountering a shark is slim. One estimate says your lifetime chance of death from a shark attack is one in 3.7 million.
