“Bite on the Face”: 2 Harrowing Shark Encounters Turn Surfing Day to Bloodbath as Central Florida Becomes Hot-Bed for Panic

One of the deadliest predators of water continues to haunt Central Florida. Last week, two swimmers faced shark attacks in Volusia County while swimming near a popular beach. This prompted the authorities to ensure protective measures for the local surfing community. This included increased surveillance and warning signs. Despite these efforts, Florida’s coastal waters are still as dangerous as before.

In a reiteration of last week’s attacks, a fresh set of incidents in Central Florida shocked the surfing community. The two incidents that took place hours apart from each other have once again raised questions about the safety of Central Florida beaches.

Surfer left bleeding by shark attack

On Monday, Bill Eveland and his friends were surfing near Satellite Beach in the afternoon, and they came across pods of mullet. While his friend went back to the shore, Eveland continued to ride the waves, and then a massive shark hit him. In an interview with Fox 35, he, “When I came up from the wave is when the shark kind of hit a glancing blow to my lower right back”. Eveland fell into the water and turned to see the shark disappear into the surf. He was caught in a feeding frenzy and was scared for his life.

The impact left him bleeding from his lower back. He swam back to his board and lay still on it till the bleeding subsided. Then Eveland swiftly swam back to the shore, but the shark attack had done its damage. He needed to rush to the ER and received 25 stitches to patch up the nasty gash on his back. Bill Eveland said that this experience would stay with him for a lifetime, and he would exercise caution on Florida waters in the future.

With the Monday memory still afresh, Tuesday morning witnessed another more harrowing incident. And this time the victim was not as fortunate as Eveland.

Surfing enthusiast escapes death by a whisker

A surfer came face-to-face with a massive shark in New Smyrna Beach just a few miles north of where the previous took place. According to reports from the Volusia County Beach Safety, the shark attacked a 38-year-old man from South Carolina. While surfing near the jetty, he dived into the wave from the board, and the shark bit his face. Gavin Naylor who heads the University of Florida’s Program for Shark Research, said the attack was unusual.

Read More: Hours After Saddening Update on Surfer Involved in a Horrifying Shark Attack, Superintendent Has a Message for the Local Community

Naylor, an expert on sharks, theorized that the surfer “landed on it, then the shark probably felt sort of violated, turned round and responded and bit him on the face”. In the wake of his violent experience, Bill Eveland had one piece of advice for other surfers. He asked everyone to avoid the waters when the mullets were nearby. His advice is resonating in the surfing community, who are now concerned about the potential dangers lurking beneath the waves.

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