Dolphin or Shark? You decide.

[Scout1071]

Poll question: Dolphin or Shark? You decide.

This picture was taken off the panhandle of Florida, St. George Island, roughly 2 weeks ago, just prior to the first attack. At first I thought this was a dolphin because the fin was slightly curved, but as it surfaced near my kayak, it appeared to be black. The whole body of the beast was very, very dark and not grey-ish like a dolphin. You can see that we are along the edge of the sandbar...where these sharks have been spotted. Anyway, it was enough to scare the *&^% out of me and get the boys to shore as quickly as possible. So, dolphin or shark? You decide.

[ewagner]

1. My logic says Dolphin

but my instincts say SHARK!!!!

[Scout1071]

3. Welcome to my world.

The thing that threw me was how dark it was and I was close enough to get a good look. Either way, my inner alarm was going off big-time and told me to get myself and the boys the hell out of the water.

[jeff30997]

2. Sea Monster ! And you're lucky to be alive.

:evilgrin:

[Zuni]

4. a sea monkey

but thems are notorious killers

[jobycom]

5. That's where the sharks hang out

It looks like a dolphin, but the sharks hang out just past the sand bars. They are always out there, they rarely attack humans. I've had fisherman tell me that when they do it's a mistake, usually because the person was swimming on a board, or because the light was low in the sky, so the shark couldn't see the outline of a human. So even if it was a shark, you were probably safe.



I'd have swam like hell out of there, anyway!

[Tom Kitten]

6. Always better to be safe than sorry...

If you didn't know for sure it was best to go to shore!

[BikeWriter]

7. I enlarged it and lightened it. I would not have swum with it.

[Scout1071]

10. So. Scary.

Either way, it's another lesson learned. Do not take Mother Nature lightly.

[BikeWriter]

Yes'm, the opinion on the poll is varying, but I'd still...

have gotten out unless Flipper leaped out of the water with a beer in his mouth.

[peekaloo]

8. I would have headed to shore, too.

Dolphins usually hang in pairs or groups. While it's not uncommon to see a single dolphin I wouldn't tempt fate or a shark's instinct.

[madeline_con]

9. Shark fin...

take a break in the sand.

[Samurai_Writer]

11. That's a dolphin

I live in a protected area (Indian River Lagoon) and there are dolphins everywhere. They do swim alone more than people think, especially if they are close to land. Notice how the back humps up? Sharks don't do that when they swim. You were safe.

My favorite line from Shark Tale, two sharks commenting to each other:

"He's got dolphin muscle!"

"My Uncle Louie was whacked by one of those."

[Scout1071]

12. Just a little food for thought: