Shark-bite capital to welcome surfers

Volusia County documented a record twenty-four shark attacks last year. Of Florida's 1,197 miles of shoreline, New Smyrna Beach holds the distinction of being the shark bite capital of the Sunshine State, but the dubious title doesn't seem to phase avid sufers like Jason Rasmussen of Orlando.

Rasmussen comes to New Smyrna Beach all the time to hit the waves. "You see them every once in a while, but thats no big deal!" said Rasmussen.

The majority of Volusia County's shark attacks happen on the south side of Pone Inlet. It's a surfer's paradise, where the intercoastal Halifax River flushes out its murky water into the Atlantic.

"There's always bate there. The waters always murky and there's great waves there most of the time," said Capt. Scot Petersohn with the Volusia County Beach Patrol. "So you mix people with their feet dangling down at the bate fish and sharks swimming around in this murky water ... they bump into something and they bite it," he added.

The beach patrol does what it can to alert beachgoers about the presence of sharks. There are signs that warn of marine life which has been spotted in the area.

None of the Volusis County incidents last year were life-threatening or limb-threatening. Petersohn said they mostly resembled dog bites. "I think you have more of a chance of getting run over on A1A or getting food poisoning at a buffet, than you do getting bit by a shark." Petersohn said.

That may or may not be comforting news for the hundreds of surfers who will converge on New Smyrna Beach in the coming weeks for the Landshark Spring Safari Pro surfing tournament.

The event is scheduled to take place April 1-5 at the New Smyrna Inlet surf break.