We’re going to need a bigger boat. A 14-foot Great White Shark was seen Wednesday, February 28, a short distance from the Brownsville coast.
Chip Michalove, captain of South Carolina charter fishing company, Outcast Sport Fishing, tracked the Great White over 2,000 miles from its origin in South Carolina.
Where did it come from?
Of course, Great White Sharks in Texas is a rare sighting. This Great White, named LeeBeth, was revealed to have traveled all the way from South Carolina to the shores of Brownsville.
Michalove initially caught the shark on December 8, 2023, near South Carolina’s Hilton Head. After doing so, he planted a tracker on LeeBeth, who swam over 2,000 miles reaching some 100 yards off the Brownsville coast.
“14’ Great White ‘LeeBeth’ covering some crazy ground, pinging in today right off the beach near the Mexican border,” Michalove wrote in a tweet on February 27.
“This is the furthest West a white shark has been tracked from the Atlantic. She’s now covered over 2,000 miles since we caught her in Dec. Insane, had no idea.”
14’ Great White “LeeBeth” covering some crazy ground, pinging in today right off the beach near the Mexican border. This is the furthest West a white shark has been tracked from the Atlantic. She’s now covered over 2,000 miles since we caught her in Dec. Insane, had no idea. pic.twitter.com/u4YyGFcAqE
— Chip Michalove (@ChipHHI) February 27, 2024
Sharks in Texas?
While spotting a Great White off of Texas is certainly a rare occurrence, it isn’t unheard of. In March 2021, a one-ton Great White was pinged about 140 miles off the Texas coast. Texas waters are, however, fairly populated with a number of different shark species.
In Texas Blacktip sharks are far and away the most common. Other shark species native to the area include Spinner Sharks, Bull Sharks, Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks, and Bonnethead Sharks.
Attack frequency?
Contrary to popular belief, shark attacks are extremely rare. In fact the average number of shark attacks year over year is about 63 in the past five years.
Attack frequency in Texas?
In Texas, there have only been 78 recorded shark attacks since 1865 according the Houston Chronicle. This highest concentration of shark attacks in Texas occurred in the Galveston area, the 19 injuries. Only two of which resulted in fatalities.