The Top 8 Beaches in North Carolina for Shark Attacks

Out of the 117 shark attack reports in North Carolina, 97 were unprovoked. Even though scientists were unable to establish the specific circumstances of certain occurrences, the Global Shark Attack File contains information about all shark attacks that have been recorded.

They categorize the attacks into three categories: occurrences involving watercraft or maritime mishaps, provoked and unprovoked attacks, and dubious incidents (designated as “unknown” in this article).

Some of these dubious occurrences have not yet been proven to have involved sharks, thus the specifics are still unknown. However, some claim there is insufficient proof to determine whether the shark attack or the drowning occurred first.

Furthermore, while this information may not be entirely correct, it does provide a basic picture of the locations and frequency of shark attacks in North Carolina. Before learning more about the eight North Carolina locations with the highest frequency of shark attacks, let’s have a look at some general facts!

The top eight locations in North Carolina for shark attacks

1. The Emerald Isle

With ten, Emerald Isle has had the most shark attacks in North Carolina. Luckily, none of these proved lethal. Either swimming or surfing was going on. Two of the eight occurrences lacked enough details to be classified, and eight were unprovoked.

Emerald Isle saw its first attack on September 25, 1971, against a seventeen-year-old surfer by the name of J. Homer.

In 2000, there was an increase in the frequency of shark attacks in the area. A guy nearly lost his hand after being bitten by a shark on August 21, 2000. In addition, there were attacks in 2002, 2008, 2016, and 2020. Shark involvement in the most recent attack, which happened on October 21, 2020, has not yet been verified.

2. North Topsail Beach/Topsail Island

Fortunately, none of North Topsail Beach’s nine shark attacks resulted in death. September 15, 2001 was the date of the first. A shark bit the foot of 16-year-old Dale Fulcher, Jr. while he was surfing.

Elizabeth Gardner suffered a nasty laceration to her calf by a bull shark on September 5, 2005, after another event a few years later. There were more assaults in the years 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2011. On Topsail Island, in Surf City, were two of them.

Tracy Fasick, a 43-year-old woman, was involved in the most recent attack at North Topsail Beach. She sustained cuts to her right ankle and calf from a shark bite while swimming. The incident happened on July 8, 2012.

3. The Wrightsville Beach

October 8, 1989, was the first suspected attack at Wrightsville Beach. It happened in New Hanover County, halfway between Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach. It is said that a shark attacked 49-year-old Doug Nunnally while he was scuba diving. The assault proved to be lethal. That being said, the shark’s role is still only speculated about.

There were more events in 1995, 2000, 2002, and 2010. August 17, 2011, saw the most recent shark attack at Wrightsville Beach, albeit not much is known about it, including whether or not a shark was present. The victim, according to the evidence, was a 12-year-old child who had cuts on his left hand.

4. The Ocracoke

With four of the seven deadly attacks in North Carolina, Ocracoke may be the area with the highest number.

This region had the first fatal shark attack in North Carolina, which claimed the life of a coast guard employee, sometime between 1900 and 1905. The following tragic event happened to a Coast Guard employee in July of 1905.

There were more instances in 1945, 1988, and 2011. The 68-year-old Andrew Costello was bitten on July 1, 2015, by a shark that measured between six and seven feet. The bite caused injuries to his hands, hip, lower leg, and torso. At Lifeguard Beach, the man was swimming when the shark attacked him.

5. Ocean Isle

With the exception of one in 2019 involving a 19-year-old guy, the majority of attacks at Ocean Isle were minors.

On August 10, 1980, there was the first shark attack at Ocean Isle in Brunswick County. Susan Waters, a 10-year-old girl, was involved in the incident. While wading, a shark nipped her lower leg and knee. On June 18, 2012, a 6-year-old boy named Brooklyn Daniel was attacked in the same manner.

Another incident of a youngster being bitten by a shark is documented for 2012, however the shark’s involvement has not yet been verified.

On June 27, 2021, Ocean Isle was the scene of the most recent attack. A 7-year-old girl was bitten by a shark while swimming, which is another incident involving children.

6. Masonboro Island/Masonboro Inlet

Masonboro Island and Masonboro Inlet saw unprovoked shark attacks. August 19, 1986, marked the first occurrence. While J. McCorley was surfing, his hand was bit by a shark.

Michael Greenwood was swimming in the vicinity when a shark bit his left arm, nearly ten years later. There were other attacks in 2014, 2006, and 2003.

The most recent one involved Miller Diggs, who sustained cuts to her left foot on August 24, 2014. The shark’s length was four feet.

7. Holden Beach

There are six shark attacks documented in Holden Beach; all of them are non-lethal. When William T. Dye was fishing on June 30, 1940, a 10-foot shark bit his thigh, resulting in the first attack in the area.

At Holden Beach, a shark “dared” to attack a person just sixty years later. Tim Poynter, 14, was attacked by a six-foot-long, gray shark as he was surfing. Fortunately, the animal only caused minor wounds.

There were three more incidences in the years 2005, 2009, and 2011. The most recent incident at Holden Beach occurred on July 11, 2013, and involved Barbara Corey, a 63-year-old woman who was strolling through the water when her right foot was bitten.

8. Carolina Beach

Carolina Beach has the largest number of shark attacks that occurred under conditions that are unclear when compared to other locations in North Carolina with the highest number of shark attacks.

The first one happened in New Hanover County on October 8, 1989, between Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach. Late in the afternoon, 49-year-old Doug Nunnally was diving. A shark was thought to have been involved when he was later discovered dead. Still, this hasn’t been verified.

In 1995, a second man was discovered dead. Although he had allegedly drowned, postmortem examination by scientists revealed shark bites.

On July 27, 2004, and August 12, 2005, respectively, a 6-foot shark attacked Alexis Huesgen and Chris O’Connor.

The facts surrounding the most recent shark attack that took place in the region on July 13, 2008, are unknown. Scientists believe that 52-year-old Donald Griffin was body surfing when he struck a marine mammal, likely a dolphin or shark. He suffered injury to his spine, abrasions, and nerves.