Categories: Uncategorized

“Jaws” in the Gulf of Mexico

A decade ago I wrote about great white sharks in the Gulf of Mexico in Tide magazine in a story called “Jaws in the Gulf”. It featured old accounts and some interesting recent (at that time) anecdotes.

Actually the first time I wrote at all about great whites in the Gulf was in 1999 in the Port Arthur News, when I shared a story told by my friend Bill Skinner who had an interesting encounter.

Now, we have undeniable proof.

Fitted with a satellite transmitter by research group OCEARCH off Cape Cod, Mass, “Katherine” has been in the Gulf near Panama City, Fla this month. Yes, “Katherine” is a great white shark and she just happens to be 14 feet long and weigh 2,300 pounds.

You can imagine my excitement after learning of this huge shark swimming in Gulf waters near and heading westward-perhaps to my home state of Texas!?

After all, I was the kid who saw “Jaws” and wanted to get in the water and once said while fishing at the old 61st St. Pier in Galveston at age 12, “It’s a shame we don’t have a lot of great whites off our coast.”

“Katherine” isn’t the only tagged white in the Gulf. She is joined by “Betsy” who was hanging further east, much closer to the Atlantic.

You can follow their movements by visiting Ocearch.org. As a shark lover, this is an exciting time!

Chester Moore, Jr.

Source: Kingdom Zoo