Warning at Maine Beach – Don’t Go into the Water Above your Waist
Maine Department of Agriculture, Conversation, and Forestry has issued an announcement to swimmers are Maine’s Popham Beach State Park and Reid State Park not to go in the water above waist level according to newscentermaine.com. The announcement comes after a New York woman, who owned a summer home in Maine, was killed in a Great White Shark attack off of Bailey Island in Harpswell on Monday. The victim, Julie Dimperio Holowach was swimming with her daughter when the attack occurred. Her daughter made it safely out of the water but sadly, Julie Dimperio Holowach did not. My sympathies go out to the family.
According to newscenteremaine.com, the decision to not allow swimmers deeper into the water was made with an “abundance of caution” and will be subject to change without notice. The announcement comes just after Maine had its first-ever reported shark attack fatality. This heatwave is getting to me. I really want to go for a swim, but I think I am sticking to lakes. I have been hesitant since last year’s numerous shark sightings off Cape Cod but this one really hit me hard.
A shark advisory was also issued for Broad Cove Reserve after a shark was sighted near Cousins Island in Yarmouth. That advisory was for residents not to enter the water above their ankles but was lifted on Thursday at 9:45 am according to newscentermaine.com. Authorities still want visitors to remember that Maine’s “robust marine ecosystem includes sharks.” My son always reminds me that he does not swim in the ocean because “that’s where the monsters are” and his chances of a shark attack on the sand are zero.