Teen Wader Bitten by Bull Shark at Singer Island, Florida

On March 25, 1981, at approximately 3:00 PM, a 19-year-old male waded into the Atlantic Ocean at Singer Island in Riviera Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, to rinse sand from his body and legs. The beach had been closed to swimmers just three hours earlier due to unidentified shark sightings in the area. The victim entered the water in knee-deep conditions, approximately 10-15 feet from shore. As an incoming wave raised the water level to mid-thigh, a shark approached from behind and bit his left leg. The victim described feeling the shark's grip, reached down, and pulled upward to glimpse the attacking animal before pushing it away and running toward shore, where beachgoers assisted him. The incident resulted in minor injuries consisting of multiple lacerations. Three lacerations appeared on the upper calf and ankle (1 cm, 1.5 cm, and 0.5 cm in length), while five additional lacerations (ranging from 0.5 to 3 cm) with associated puncture wounds marked the lower anterior leg. A 3 cm laceration on the heel appeared to result from the victim withdrawing his foot from the shark's teeth. Medical examination revealed that underlying tendons, nerves, and muscle tissue remained undamaged. The victim reported minimal pain and blood loss, requiring no ambulance transport. His girlfriend drove him to the hospital where he received paramedic care. Based on the victim's description of a stocky, heavy-bodied shark with a blunt, rounded snout measuring 4-5 feet in length, investigators concluded the shark was likely a juvenile bull shark, sandbar shark, or dusky shark. Sea conditions at the time included rough waters with heavy swells and a water temperature of approximately 67°F.