Is it dangerous to swim in the sea in Marmaris?
Is it dangerous to swim in the sea in Marmaris? For many years Marmaris beaches were safe for swimming all year round. However, with the latest news about a shark visiting Marmaris bay on Monday July 04th 2022 put the safety of swimming in question. As you will recall the big fish was chased away by brave local men with… a mop?!
Later on the same day the officials said it wasn’t a shark but a Mediterranean garfish (Belone belone) also known as the garpike or sea needle. Apparently it was hunting near the shore in Marmaris. It could have been a juvenile fish that tend to remain in shallower waters until they grow. Within a few hours most swimmers in Marmaris got their hands on available resource to learn more about the fish. Much to our relief we humans are not part of this fish’s food chain.
In previous years larger sharks were reported at open seas just outside the resort. The fact that Marmaris is at the spot where the Aegean and Mediterranean seas meet will give you a better clue to its marine life variety.
Another video footage of a group of sharks swimming off the coast in Sarigerme was shared late autumn in 2021 by a diver Servet Şimşek on social media account.
“This is the first time that I see [sharks off the beach]. It might be problematic to get into the sea. You should know,” Şimşek wrote along with the video.
Have you heard of Boncuk Bay Marmaris? That’s the bay where you can spot 1,5 – 2 meter sand sharks within 150 – 200 meters from the shore. The bay Boncuk is the only breeding bay for sand sharks in the whole of the Mediterranean that is why it has been under protection since 1988. If you are interested to learn more about the underwater life in Boncuk bay watch this video:
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Official Sources: Marmaris municipality, Hürriyet, YouTube
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