This story has been updated to note that the species of shark is uncertain.
The sky was as clear as the water, a vodka clear that undulated shadows on the white sand below when a steel gray shark approached a kayak group taking a tour near Phil Foster Park in Riviera Beach.
About 6 feet long by Paddle Paradise Palm Beach owner Toni Kutsukos’s estimation, the curious shark first came toward her 10-foot inflatable paddle board before swimming away when she put her paddle in the water to redirect its course.
Videos posted on social media document snippets of the encounter, which she said is normal in the life-rich waters that pulse through the Lake Worth Inlet, also known as the Palm Beach Inlet.
“We always have cool encounters,” Kutsukos said. “I honestly think people are thrilled and curious although I do get some guests who are a little afraid but mostly everything kind of swims away from us.”
The recent video post actually occurred a few months ago, Kutsukos said. It was in about two feet of water and she believes the shark was stuck between sandbars waiting for high tide.
Phil Foster Park boasts a world-class diving and snorkeling area under the Blue Heron Bridge. There is also a snorkel trail that attracts abundant marine life.
Kutsukos said she sees several species of sharks in the inlet, including lemon, nurse and bonnet heads. She initially thought her encounter was with a bull shark, whichi have a reputation for being more aggressive than other sharks. It’s common for them to be in shallow waters where they hunt.
Because bull sharks can survive in freshwater and saltwater, they also travel up estuaries and have been spotted deep inland in rivers and lakes.
Kastsukos said she’s never had a problem with any of the marine life she encounters in her tours.
“This is their home,” she said. “Nothing is ever stationary in the water.”
Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate, weather, and the environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@pbpost.com. Help support our local journalism, subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Kayakers experience shark close encounter near Palm Beach Inlet
Reporting by Kimberly Miller, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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