Chances of a Sharks & Shark Attack Delaware & Maryland Beaches

Despite what you saw in the "Jaws" movies, it really is safe to go in the water.

Sharks & Shark Attacks: Sharks do frequent shallow waters, but they are generally too small, too sluggish, too weakly armed or living at too great a depth to pose any potential danger to humans swimming on the Delaware-Maryland coast.

The most dangerous shark species -- the Tiger shark, Lemon shark, larger Hammerheads, and the Great White sharks of Jaws fame are rarely seen in this area.

The especially dangerous Great White shark, in fact, is seldom seen anywhere, especially close inshore.

Humans are not the typical prey of sharks, anyway. Most feed on squid and fishes smaller than themselves.

Sharks are also the ocean's garbage disposals. Opened shark stomachs have revealed soft drink bottles, tin cans, magazines, old clothes, anchors, boat propellers, chum pots, lead sinkers and even logs.

BTW, don't confuse the dolphins playing off our coast with sharks. You can tell the difference easily -- dolphin fins make a rounded, circular motion, while shark fins cut a straight path across the water.

Sharks Common to the Delaware-Maryland Coast

• The Common Hammerhead Shark
  
• The Atlantic Mako Shark
  
• The Sand Shark
  
• The Smooth Dogfish Shark
  
• The Spiny Dogfish Shark
  
• The Sandbar Shark

Number of attacks in Delaware from the International Shark Attack File