Everything You Need to Know About Sharks at Folly Beach - Extra Chill (2024)
Swimming at Folly Beach is fun for everyone — and not just the people. Folly Beach, or the “Edge of America” is also home to a plethora of marine life including fish, birds, dolphins, and yes — even sharks.
In fact, there are many sharks that swim in the waters at Folly Beach, with around 10 or so different species that have been spotted or caught in the area. Some of them can be quite big, too, with the largest one caught at the beach being a 13-foot tiger shark in 2015.
Charleston’s beaches and the greater Carolina coastline offer a climate that many sharks love, with warm, murky waters teeming with life, which means plenty of food to eat. Folly Beach is an especially habitable place for sharks, as the waterways feature lots of tidal creeks.
The brackish (part salt, part fresh) water as you get further upstream makes a nice environment for bull sharks, who can tolerate and thrive in both salt and fresh water. Bull sharks are known for being the most aggressive species of shark due to their abnormally high levels of testosterone.
Luckily, most of the bull sharks in the area stay in Folly’s rivers and creeks rather than near the shore where people swim. They certainly have been spotted near the coast, though, so if you see a bull shark (or any other shark) in the water it’s best to get out as soon as possible, but don’t splash around as you don’t want to agitate them.
There have also been great white sharks spotted off the coast of Folly Beach, but only during the coldest months of the year. When the temperatures warm up, the great whites leave, and by the time March rolls around they are generally all up north where they will remain until November, when they will roam south yet again.
There is one great white shark in particular named Mary Lee that has been known to frequent Charleston’s coastline in the winter months, though she has not been heard from since 2018 and researchers believe the battery has run out on her tagging device.
Overall, the chances of you seeing a shark, much less being attacked by one while swimming in the ocean at Folly Beach are slim.
That being said, many surfers do have stories of seeing sharks at Folly Beach, and I have personally seen a few sharks at Folly Beach during my 10+ years living in Charleston.
The first was just a baby sand shark that washed up on the shore. My roommate simply picked it up and helped it find its way back out into deeper water.
The next time was when I caught one on a line while fishing from a boat, like the guys in the video below. Shark was about the same size, too, which is also the same size as the vast majority of sharks that inhabit the South Carolina coastline.
Filmed on Folly Beach in 2012, these gentlemen hooked a shark and brought it to the surface, all the while their dog was trying its darnedest to get after it.
Check it out, and then keep reading to learn about some of the shark attacks that have happened at follow over the years.
Folly Beach Shark Attacks
Although most of the sharks at Folly Beach are small and non-threatening, there are still occasional shark attacks, usually involving surfers. However, most of the shark attacks at Folly Beach are non-fatal, and fairly minor all things considered.
South Carolina has averages around 5 shark attacks per year for the last decade, the third highest in the nation behind Florida and Hawaii. Of the 107 total unprovoked shark attacks on record in SC since 1837, 37 of them have taken place in Charleston County.
The last time there was a fatal shark attack on Folly Beach was September 11th, 2005, when 18-year-old surfer Greg Norton, Jr. was killed. His friends reported seeing sharks in the area, and one of them even said they saw the shark hit him and pull him under. Greg was never seen again, though they did recover his surfboard which had no visible damage.
In August 2013, a ten year old surfer named Tyson Royston had a frightening encounter with an 8-foot bull shark while competing in the South Carolina Governor’s Cup of Surfing. Royston was completing his heat when the shark became entangled in his leash. He was not injured, and actually returned to surfing just a month later.
Less than one year later, in August 2014, another ten year old boy was attacked by a shark. This time it was Riley Harris, who was walking in with his boogie board, just 30 yards from shore when he was bitten twice by a shark estimated to be four or five feet long.
Harris recalls stepping on the shark while walking through the water, and then the shark came up and bit his leg. He had to go to the hospital and decided that he never wanted to swim in the ocean again.
Check out the News 2 interview with Riley following his return home from the hospital below.
August 2017 brought yet another shark attack to Folly Beach, this time a 33-year old woman who had been out surfing. She went to the hospital with a five inch bite mark on her left foot, although her injuries were minor.
It seems August is the month for shark attacks on Folly Beach, as August 2020 saw yet another. This time it was 12-year-old Liam Modzelewski, who was bit on the foot while surfing. He thinks it was a bull shark that bit him, but it was never confirmed. His injuries were also minor, and after being stitched up at the hospital he was right back at it.
Overall, the chances of you seeing a shark, much less being attacked by one while swimming in the ocean at Folly Beach are slim. That being said, many surfers do have stories of seeing sharks at Folly Beach, and I have personally seen a few sharks at Folly Beach during my 10+ years living in Charleston.
“We have Atlantic Sharpnose, Bonnethead, Hammerhead, Finetooth, Blacktip, Sandbar, Tiger, Lemon and Bull sharks,” said Ashley Galloway, a marine biologist with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
Swimming is allowed on all Folly beaches. There is access to the beach at the end of every block. There is a wheelchair access ramp at 9th Street on West Ashley.
New Smyrna Beach has seen more shark attacks than any other beach in the United States. The International Shark Attack File estimates that Florida has the most shark attacks worldwide each year.
Sharks spend about half the year in South Carolina
With more than 40 species swimming through the Grand Strand's seas, the odds of seeing that telltale dorsal fin -- or some other body part -- are most likely from early May through late October.
There are many places to look for shark teeth in Folly Beach. However, the end of Folly Beach Pier between the rock piles and the sand dunes might hold higher chances of success than other places.
Teeth on Folly Beach range in size from that of a fingernail to the length of an adult finger. However, in some areas, much larger teeth can occasionally be found, such as that of the prehistoric Megalodon (whose name means “giant tooth”), an extinct shark that inhabited the oceans millions of years ago.
Nearby the historic Morris Island Lighthouse, you'll find some of the best shells in the Folly area. At the end of Folly Beach, you can find shark's teeth, starfish, and sand dollars, too.
The Folly Beach Fishing Pier is a mecca for a diverse group of Lowcountry pier fisherman. The pier is 1,045 feet long and, at the end during high tide, the water is 25 feet deep.
No lights are allowed that illuminate the front beach between 10 pm and dawn from May 1st to October 31st. Hatchling turtles are disorientated by artificial light. Fill holes dug in sand before you leave the beach.
The types of jellyfish you might run into at Folly include the cannonball jelly, lion's mane jelly, mushroom jelly, southern moon jelly, and sea nettle – none of which represent a real hazard to humans, although they do pack a painful punch.
Because of these characteristics, many experts consider bull sharks to be the most dangerous sharks in the world. Historically, they are joined by their more famous cousins, great whites and tiger sharks, as the three species most likely to attack humans.
The gulf has access to the infamous Cape Cod, known for its abundance of sharks. However, Maine has only had 2 recorded shark attacks in the past two centuries. This low attack count is astonishing as the state has one of the largest coastlines in the New England territory.
Most shark teeth are found in central Myrtle Beach anywhere between 50th Avenue North all the way down to 10th Avenue South, however, you can also find a few in Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island.
Often, we're told low tide is the time to shell. But you'll likely find more, especially shark teeth when the tide is coming in. Look for them where the waves break. You might even see smaller ones in the sand around you when you're lounging in your beach chair.
“Whenever there's beach replenishment, or the ocean floor gets dredged, more shells and shark teeth are sure to show up,” Burgard says. This could be manmade or after a storm. Low tide is usually better and places like sandbars, where water constantly shifts the sand, tend to be hot spots.
Shark tooth hunting is an easy and fun activity to take up. Look for the dark triangular shapes mixed within broken shells and sand on the beach, particularly at the tide line where waves crash onto the shore.
"This is like a once-in-a-lifetime kind of find."Amateur fossil hunters typically find around 100 megalodon teeth on Calvert Cliffs per year, he added. But most of them are much smaller than Molly's huge tooth. The largest megalodon teeth ever found have been just over 7 inches.
The largest megalodon teeth ever found have been just over 7 inches. The size of the tooth indicates that this particular megalodon was between 45 and 50 feet long. Paleontology curator Stephen Godfrey told CNN that Molly's discovery was a "once-in-a-lifetime kind of find."
Shark teeth can often be found in easily on top of the loose sediment. It might be hard to spot among the shells and pebbles. If you just look on top of the sand you might not have a lot of luck.
While visiting places like Folly Beach and Morris Island, as well as our other destinations, you are likely to find gorgeous shells, rocks, fossils, shark teeth, and maybe even sea glass!
The Sphaerocypraea incomparabilis is considered the rarest seashell today. This snail shell is dark, golden brown with a row of zipper-like white teeth along the shell opening, It is part of the Eocypraeidae family of large sea snails, in the superfamily Cypraeoidea, which includes cowries.
The scaly carcass that washed up on Folly Beach outside of Charleston, South Carolina, in 2012 had been baked a dusty brown by the caustic Southern sun and looked like that of some prehistoric beast. It took an expert from the South Carolina Aquarium to discern that it was actually an Atlantic sturgeon.
Folly Beach is open from 8AM-10PM. Do not to litter, walk on the sand dunes, bring plastic/glass containers, or consume alcohol on the beach. Dogs must be leashed at all times and are not allowed on the beach from 10am-6pm May 1 through September 30.
Known to Charleston locals as "the Edge of America", Folly Beach is home to numerous surf spots, the most popular being the Washout, 10th Street and the Folly Beach Pier. Despite its usually calm conditions, Folly Beach has gained prominence as one of the more popular surf spots along the East Coast.
June, July, and August can get very hot and crowded, so if you are looking to really enjoy time in the sun, opt to visit Folly Beach in September. Crowds begin to taper off as kids go back to school and temperatures begin to slightly cool down. The average high is 81 degrees and the average low is 73 degrees.
For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2021 - March 2021), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Cannonball jellyfish are the most common jellyfish in our area, and fortunately, one of the least venomous. During the summer and fall, large numbers of this species appear near the coast and in the mouths of estuaries.
Folly Beach is home to more than 300 wild Atlantic bottlenose dolphins! Learn all about the Charleston area's rich ecological heritage while watching dolphins play from a close, but respectful, distance with Charleston Outdoor Adventures.
Florida is regarded as the shark bite capital of the world, with New Smyrna Beach in Volusia County with the most shark bites to date going back to 1882 according to the University of Florida's International Shark Attack File. New Smyrna Beach is on east coast of the state north of the Treasure Coast.
Wikipedia The White Shark, more commonly referred to as the "Great White," has been reported to be involved in more attacks on humans than any other shark.
If you're being attacked and fighting back, try to avoid the dangerous mouth and go for the gills behind the mouth near the pectoral fins. A good shot to the gills can also do the job: “The gills are very sensitive – giving a shark a whack in the gills isn't a bad idea.” Are you carrying anything with you?
Since sharks see contrast colors, anything that is very bright against lighter or darker skin can look like a bait fish to a shark. For this reason, he suggests swimmers avoid wearing yellow, white, or even bathing suits with contrasting colors, like black and white.
The east coast of Florida is the most likely place for an unprovoked shark attack. Since 1882, 828 or 93% of shark attacks in Florida have occurred on the east coast. The gulf coast has much fewer sharks on Florida beaches. Only 42 unprovoked shark attacks have happened here in 140 years.
There are many harmless sharks that are perfectly safe to swim with. One of the most common and least dangerous sharks is the nurse shark. Nurse sharks are docile sharks and they grow to a maximum of 15ft long, compared to the equally-as-gentle whale shark (which can grow to around 62ft)!
Most of the attacks in South Carolina occurred in Charleston, Horry, and Beaufort counties, indicating that many sharks live in the area. However, South Carolina has many shark species that aren't at all dangerous if not provoked, even if they are often seen near the beaches.
Sand tiger sharks were detected during six months of the year, but 90% of data were generated during April and May. White sharks occurred in coastal waters off SC and GA during seven months of the year, but 90% of data for this species was generated between November and March.
In South Carolina, blacktip sharks are commonly found over sandy and muddy bottoms in estuarine and coastal waters. They are known to actively feed on schooling fish, often in large aggregations. Port Royal Sound, St. Helena Sound, and Bulls Bay have been documented as primary nurseries.
Central Myrtle Beach is the prime place to find sharks' teeth, according to some experts. Look between 50th Avenue North down to 10th Avenue South. It'll take some patience, but you should be able to manage a nice haul in this area. For next-level hunting, upgrade your tools, and sift through the sand.
Sharks will generally hunt at dawn and dusk and at night, but like many predators will feed at any time they come across prey unless they have just eaten and some female sharks like the female Grey Nurse Sharks do not eat at all during mating season.
Summer through Fall is hunting season–specifically, April through October. Great whites will come closer to the shoreline to search for sources of nutrition, with 8:00 am-6:00 pm being when sharks are most active. That said, sharks prefer to swim around the shores throughout dawn, dusk, and night.
Avoid being in the water during low light hours (dawn or dusk) and at night when many sharks are most active and feeding. Sharks have never been shown to be attracted to the smell of human blood, however, it may still be advisable to stay out of the water if bleeding from an open wound.
White sharks are typically only winter visitors to South Carolina waters.” The autopsy for the 10-foot shark brought biologists and scientists from Georgia Aquarium and Ripley's Aquariums.
This hammerhead is the heaviest ever recorded in the state of South Carolina. Talk about beware of the sharks! IB Times reports that the nearly 1,000 pounds and over 13 ft.
Dolphins are most active at the crack of dawn, between 10 am and noon, and from 2 pm till dusk. A great pair of telephoto lenses or binoculars can be invaluable tools to spot dolphins easily.
Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Folly River, visitors enjoy six miles of wide beaches, surfing, fishing, biking, kayaking, boating, eco-tours, and sea wildlife including several endangered species.
Introduction: My name is Frankie Dare, I am a funny, beautiful, proud, fair, pleasant, cheerful, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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