Re: 01/03/2012 Michael Wells ( Australia )
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 8:07 pm
Holidaymakers flee great white sharks spotted off Hawks Nest beach, Newcastle
HUNDREDS of holidaymakers were evacuated from the water at a popular New South Wales beach after three great white sharks were spotted lurking close to shore.
Crew aboard the Hunter Westpac rescue helicopter spotted the predators just 50m off Hawks Nest beach north of Newcastle shortly before 11am, yesterday prompting lifeguards to sound the shark alarm.
Helicopter crew chief Pete Cummings said each of the white pointers was estimated to be 3m long.
"They were all pretty close to shore and one especially was swimming quite close to the main swimming area at Hawks Nest," he said. "One would have only been about 40m out."
The water was cleared while lifeguards searched for the sharks but the beach was reopened later in the day without incident.
The scare came just a week after Michael Wells, 28, was attacked by a shark while surfing at North Avoca beach on the Central Coast.
Marine experts have warned that warmer water and huge schools of baitfish are luring sharks closer to many popular holiday beaches.
The conditions have led to a surge of shark sightings along the NSW coast since the Christmas-New Year holidays break began.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/
HUNDREDS of holidaymakers were evacuated from the water at a popular New South Wales beach after three great white sharks were spotted lurking close to shore.
Crew aboard the Hunter Westpac rescue helicopter spotted the predators just 50m off Hawks Nest beach north of Newcastle shortly before 11am, yesterday prompting lifeguards to sound the shark alarm.
Helicopter crew chief Pete Cummings said each of the white pointers was estimated to be 3m long.
"They were all pretty close to shore and one especially was swimming quite close to the main swimming area at Hawks Nest," he said. "One would have only been about 40m out."
The water was cleared while lifeguards searched for the sharks but the beach was reopened later in the day without incident.
The scare came just a week after Michael Wells, 28, was attacked by a shark while surfing at North Avoca beach on the Central Coast.
Marine experts have warned that warmer water and huge schools of baitfish are luring sharks closer to many popular holiday beaches.
The conditions have led to a surge of shark sightings along the NSW coast since the Christmas-New Year holidays break began.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/