VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Labor Day weekend marks the "unofficial" end of summer and you might be celebrating with a trip to the ocean, but do you ever think about what might be swimming with you?
The staff at the Virginia Aquarium said late summer is a busy time for Atlantic sea life.
We joined Boat Coordinator Mike Mizell aboard the aquarium's newest dolphin watch boat, the Atlantic Scout, stopping to watch some dolphins in around ten feet of water near the Virginia Beach North End.
“If we were to look down there, we’d see anything from jellies to rays," said Mizell. "A cow nose ray come up alongside the boat. [Various] types of fish. There’s probably menhaden below us, there’s probably spot, croaker…maybe flounder.”
And, rest assured, all those fish will attract predators, including an estimated 50 to 75 dolphins our boat tour saw, according to Mizell. Sharks too.
Ocearch is an organization with a website that allows visitors to track shark paths in real time. Maps show a number of sharks, including great whites and tiger sharks, swimming past Hampton Roads and northeastern North Carolina through the summer.
But because humans aren't a natural prey for sharks, Mizell says swimmers don't have to worry about them...much.
Jellyfish and stingrays are a different story.
“There are some (jellyfish) that can sting. It can be quite painful," Mizell said. "If you’re worried about stingrays, do what we call the stingray shuffle. Shuffle your feet through the sand as you walk out there as that can stir up the bottom."
For more information about what's swimming in our local waters, visitthe Virginia Aquarium website.
