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I wandered around Storms River (below the Restaurant) on the 25th March 2010, and there are two little ‘inlets’ – really nice and shallow, with beautiful turquoise water, the perfect place I’d think for little ones to swim, or go for a little snorkel.
I didn’t see any Warning Signs, but did see about 10 of these quite big (1.5-2m) dark grey sharks (not sure what they were), as well as about 6 -8 sandsharks, AND about 6 rays.... it was like an Aquarium, with them all swimming up and down the inlet, from ankle deep water to probably 5 or 6ft of water!! I was transfixed and sat for about an hour or so, watching them, and thinking what would happen if someone allowed their children to swim in that water!!!!
Does anyone know if this is a normal occurrence in this water, and what these sharks/rays could have been? Someone has suggested gulley sharks or smooth hound sharks and that they come into shallow waters to mate and /or pup. The same is probably true for the stingrays
Not sure how to get a pic into the body of this mail - if someone could advise, I'll upload.
Thanks
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Not sure if you can view on my website - try using the above alink

Would be great to see the pic.....maybe upload through Tinypics? This site cannot host it's own pics so you have to be a member of a hosting site.

Tutorial on uploading pics

Those are gully sharks and a bat ray. This is normal for the area, perhaps quite late in the year but definitely around January this happens frequently, where hundreds move into the area, perhaps to breed or birth. They are completely harmless to people, and eats stuff off the bottom (which you can see them doing here in shallow water), mostly crayfish, shellfish, crabs, octopus or similar.

I would give my children a snorkel and flippers and encourage them to swim there, with supervision of course but not because of those sharks, it would be a great opportunity to try dispell any stigmas about sharks he/she has picked up from school.

Hope you had fun watching them!! Sure beats sitting looking at this pc...

Hi,

Here is a shot of a Spotted Gully Shark I took a little while ago. I wasn't diving I was at the Two Oceans Aquarium.

Thanks Nick - seems you're right, as quite a few people have confirmed they're gulley sharks - I would still have 'pooped' myself if I'd been floating quietly and they brush past me!

Great sighting MrsG!

My brother and I did a few scuba dives at Storms River a few years ago and we have seen a few Smooth Hound sharks in the first inlet. It was actually amazing diving with them while holiday-makers were swimming with their boogie boards totally unaware of us and the sharks!!

Cool Theuns - but until such time as I"m a total shark buff, I'll continue to shoot them.... with a Canon of course!