Shark surprise: Fort Myers Beach kayakers take video of their close encounter with big fish
Fort Myers Beach vacationers Sandine "Sandy" Fontaine and her husband, Arnaud, got the thrill (scare?) of a lifetime on May 10 as they paddled their kayaks in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Fontaines, visiting here from southern France, were enjoying their time on the water when a shark approached them, nearly grazing one of the kayaks. Sandy was ready with her smartphone and pushed the video button to capture memorable moment.
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She said they were on the north end of Fort Myers Beach. The shark approached them around 2 p.m., swerving past their 10-foot long kayaks.
"No. We were not afraid," Sandy said. "He (the shark) was calm and we were prudent."
Sandy posted the video on Facebook (I love Fort Myers Beach) and there was some debate regarding what kind of shark she saw. She said she showed the video to a park ranger when she was back on land.
"He said it was a nurse shark," she said.
What to know: Nurse shark
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website these are the distinguishing characteristics of the Nurse shark:
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Very blunt mouth with nasal barbels on each side
Eyes very small
Brown to yellow-brown above, lighter below (juveniles often have black spots)
Broadly rounded dorsal and anal fins
First and second dorsal fins are similar in size
First dorsal fin begins well behind pectoral fins
No distinct lower lobe of caudal fin
No interdorsal ridge
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida kayakers encounter shark off Fort Myers Beach, video shows
