1916 Shark Attacks
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One rainy summer day I was watching some old movies to pass the time, and I decided to watch Jaws. Now I’m sure everyone’s seen or heard of the famous movie, but did you know there was a history of shark attacks that happened in the New Jersey Beaches in 1916? They even referenced it in the movie; “It happened before, the Jersey Beach 1916. Five people shewed up in the surf!” There’s even a movie based on the events called “The Twelve Days of Terror”. I watched it one day and was honestly surprised I had never heard of this before.
The first shark attack was on July 1st during the polio epidemic during a very brutal heat wave. On Beach Haven, the victim was swimming in the water playing with his dog until it happened – A shark! The 2nd attack was on July 6th at the resort town of Spring Lake; only 45 miles/72 kms north of Beach Haven. A third attack wasn’t on a beach but in a creek, and two victims were taken. Then on July 12th a young 12-year-old boy was attacked and a young man who tried to save him, but he paid a price. The fifth and final attack was only half an hour after the two attacks and only half a mile away from the Wyckoff Docks in Matawan Creek, and this boy was the only survivor. A fourteen-year-old boy named Joseph Dunn was swimming in the creek with his brother and friend when the shark came along and tried to make Joseph his 6th victim. The shark and the boys both fought hard – like a vicious tug of war battle – and he bit off most of his leg, but he survived thankfully.
After learning about the 1916 shark attacks and rewatching the Jaws movies I realized that even though the Jaws movies aren’t based on the attacks, they are referenced. In both the movie and in real life, the mayors were in denial and thinking of the business they’d lose for the summer, being concerned with the town making money and even downplaying the shark attacks in efforts to protect the local economy.
The shark was eventually caught but could have ended sooner if the mayors had listened and closed the beaches. Since the 1916 shark attacks there haven’t been any at the Jersey Shore beaches. Sure, there are shark attacks but none in the Jersey Shore from what I’ve read online. Coincidentally before the attacks happened, there were scholars who doubted that sharks would attack a living person without being provoked. One scientist said: “There is a great difference between being attacked by a shark and being bitten by one”.
I found this interesting and I hope you do too!
That’s all I’ve got for now, until next time –
Sarah