Coucilman videos a shark in Menantic Creek

PETER REICH PHOTO | An unidentified shark making its way through Shelter Island’s inland waters. CLICK HERE to view a video of the shark in Menantic Creek.

Jaws revisited? Councilman Peter Reich reported seeing a three-foot shark in Menantic Creek on July 4 around 7:30 p.m.. He couldn’t identify its species at first but speculated it might have been a sand shark, one of four species native to Long Island waters.

Here saw it again this week and shot a video of it. (See link in photo caption.) He said on Tuesday this week, after shooting a video of the fish, that the shark had been identified a thresher.

The sand shark is one of the most common sharks on the Atlantic coast, growing up to five feet in length and staying close to shore. A Menantic Creek visitor also might encounter tiger sharks, the brown shark, also known as a sandbar shark or a spiny dogfish shark, all of which are found in Long Island waters. None are threatening to humans and tend to keep to themselves.

Because of the shark nearby, Mr. Reich called his neighbors, Jon and Joann Westervelt, out to the water. They at first thought he was tricking them with one of his radio-controlled fins.

“I couldn’t figure out what it was at first,” Mr. Reich said. “It was kind of just cruising the water going back and forth, not really out of the creek or up it, but more east to west.”

He noted that it was not acting aggressively in any way and was not bothered by onlookers. It jumped slightly when he reached out to grab its tail at one point.

Mr. Reich, an Islander for more than 30 years, said this wasn’t the first time he’d seen a small shark around the Island.

“I’ve seen them out by Hay Beach Point and around Gardiners Bay but never in a creek, unless they are dead and washed ashore,” he said.

Last summer, on July 25, an eight-foot bull shark was caught off the causeway in Orient. Bull sharks and sand sharks are similar in size and appearance but while sand sharks pose no immediate threat to humans, bull sharks are among the top three most aggressive and dangerous sharks, along with the great white and tiger shark,

Even though the Menantic Creek shark did not appear to be aggressive and may be native to the area, Mr. Reich still suggested that swimmers use caution and look out for signs of sharks nearby.