Nurse Shark or ???

[Tracy in WI]

While working on my latest installment for our trip report, I was looking a bit more closely at this shark picture I took while at Leinster Bay. I no longer think it was a Nurse Shark - maybe a Lemon Shark? Anyone know for sure? Scary, because when I saw it I kind of chased it for this picture - click on it please as I can't get it to come up here. I am computer illiterate!

http://picasaweb.google.com/gofishtlp/S ... 1281186418

[SarahD]

I'm no expert Tracy, but the tail doesn't look like a nurse shark to me. I would have assumed the same thing, though I doubt I'd have been brave enough to chase it down for a picture!

Shark paparazzi!!

[Diana2]

That is definitely NOT a nurse shark. Looks like a reef shark to me.

[cypressgirl]

O.K........NOW I'm scared!!!! How many shark encounters ARE there off the shores of STJ?? I don't want ANY!! Nurse, reef, or any other kind.

Signed,

Chicken

[StJohnRuth]

Holy Sharktooth, Batman.
What the heck kind of shark was Tracy chasing?
-Ruth

[Amy]

Hey Tracy, I think I saw the same shark at Waterlemon back in August! Scared me to death, since my son and I were in relatively shallow water watching a turtle feed, and then a shark swam between us and the turtle. It couldn't have been more than 4 feet from our faces! When it went by I noticed that the tail had a black tip like the one in your picture, and I didn't think it was a nurse shark.

[Marcia (Mrs. Pete)]

Where exactly did you encounter this bad boy? I'm not going there!!!!!!!!

Signed,

Another BIG chicken.
Marcia

[Ron_L]

I'm no expert, but based on this web page...

http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=495

I'd say reef shark. That site says that they are non-aggressive.

[jmq]

Tracy - compare your excellent shot to these on google images of the Caribbean Reef Shark looks like that might indeed be the species...

[Ron in South Texas]

I agree...that's a Caribbean Reef Shark. I've snorkeled with them in the Bahamas. The divers below me were feeding them by hand...very cool!!!

[Tracy in WI]

Man, that's the last time I go chasing after a shark! My 8 year old (7 at the time) was snorkeling at Leinster Bay last June and I think he also saw this same shark. It was in the shallow area by the seagrass and he thought it was the coolest thing!

We saw this one at Leinster too, but closer to the rocky shoreline where you get in to snorkel out to Waterlemon.

He, fortunately, had no interest in me and swam nicely by, but I did keep followign him. You know, that new camera with the underwater case! I didn't want to miss any shots!

Also, based on my reef fish book, I do think it might be a lemon shark because the second dorsal fin is about the same size as the first. But, they are rare to uncommon in the caribbean. Who knows?!!

[Diana2]

I have heard reports of Lemon Shark at Salt Pond. Lemon shark can be more aggressive (so say the books anyway). I still think it's a reef shark and they are pretty benign. It would still give me a start through if I had one swim by me!! Especially if he was a big guy.

[ccasebolt]

Tracy - I too am pretty sure I saw this shark at Waterlemon. It was pretty big - 5' or so - we made a bee-line for the shore at the point near the cay. Several others were there who had also seen it - they called it a reef shark (I didn't get a close enough to tell), but that was enough to keep us from snorkeling the cay. And you chased it!!!

[California Girl]

Tracy! You go shark girl! You should change your screen name to "Sharkie"

Excellent, excellent photo! You're my hero!

[SuefromMA]

Tracy,

You "crack me up" - Quote - Unquote "I kind of chased it"??!!??

You are way too funny!

New camera or not - there is no way in you know where that I would have been heading in the same direction as that creature!!

"Good on ya!" as The Croc Man used to say!

I am no shark expert - but, I did a little on-line shark photo searching and I think you may be on the right track with thinking that is was perhaps a Lemon Shark. (Except I don't like reading that it appears to be one of the more aggresive sharks.) Good thing you didn't know that at the time, huh? - or maybe not.

I am still shaking my head - you are quite a brave (or crazy) soul!