It’s Shark Week.
Dunnnn dun. Dunnn dun. Dun dun dun dun dun… 🦈
For many of us, the mere idea of sharks residing in our oceans sends chills up our spine + puts the sound of the Jaws theme in our ears. But Shark Week isn’t about the fear factor – its purpose is to educate us on sharks importance in the wild.
Humans are (usually) friends, not food
While S.C. is ranked number 3 for most shark attacks in the country over the last decade, the odds of getting attacked are only 1 in 738 million.
Our sharks like to party
OCEARCH, an ocean research group, have three tagged great white sharks (named Miss Costa, White Shark Hal, + Grey Lady Shark) that they keep their eyes on. This year, OCEARCH reported that the sharks spent New Year’s Eve hanging out on the coast in CHS.
Charleston girls aren’t the only ones in scalloped attire
S.C. actually has its very own breed of shark. The Carolina Hammerhead is a shark that originated on our coast and is known for the defined scallop features on its head.
Aside from binge-watching all the shark-themed shows on the Discovery Channel, there are a number of jaw-some local events you can attend to celebrate Shark Week. We put together a whole day’s worth of activities for you and your family to sink your teeth into.
Sharks teeth | Photo by @offthehookfishing
Morning:
With the mild morning weather, take some time to stroll down one of our treasure-filled beaches. Try looking in tide pools or near the water’s edge to find hidden sharks teeth lining the sand. You might even run into some fishermen who happened to snag a little guy on his line. 🦈 Find more tips on finding shark teeth here.
South Carolina Aquarium | Photo by @southcarolinaaquarium
Afternoon:
After the beach, hop on over to the South Carolina Aquarium, who happens to be celebrating Shark Week with tons of free activities included in admission. After saying hello to the various sharks throughout the aquarium, learn about them in-depth with a Shark Talk, watch a live feeding + dive show, or go on a shark tooth dig. You can even pet chain dogfish – the cutest + friendliest sharks you’ll ever encounter.
Daily programs at the Aquarium (Sat., July 27-Sun., Aug. 4)
○ Shark Tooth Dig | 10:30 a.m.
○ Shark Talks | 10:30 a.m.
○ Ray Enrichment | 1 p.m.
○ Special Dive Show | 3 p.m.
○ Shark Feed Video Viewing & Chat | 3:30 p.m.
Evening:
After all of the activities you’ve done at this point, you probably didn’t even realize how hungry you got. Keep the festivities going by stopping into Mex 1 to taste their special Shark Attack drink, which is even decked out with a toy shark. Although the drink comes non-alcoholic, feel free to give it a little extra bite by requesting it spiked.
To round your day up, bundle up on the couch + tune in to Discovery Channel, or pop in a ‘Jaws’ DVD if you’re feeling daring. (Or, for those of you who are feeling extra brave, head to Tides Folly Beach on Aug. 14 for an oceanfront showing of Jaws.)
