Off the coast of Long Island, drones sweep over the ocean, patrolling the water for any danger that might lurk below the surface as beachgoers grow more vigilant because of a recent spate of shark encounters.
Cary Epstein, lifeguarding supervisor, operates a drone during takeoff for a shark patrol flight at Jones Beach State Park, Thursday, July 6, 2023, in Wantagh, N.Y. Drones are sweeping over the ocean off the coast of New Yorks Long Island to patrol the waters for any danger possibly lurking. – at some of New York's most popular beaches, leading to heightened surveillance of the area's waters.
Cary Epstein, a lifeguard supervisor who pilots drones at Jones Beach, said the tiny battery-powered aircraft make three sweeps each day: once before opening, then sometime midday and a final round before the end of the day. “When you’re up in an elevated lifeguard station or a lifeguard stand, you can see up and you can see out, but you can’t see straight down,” Epstein said. “When we do have sharks that are eating on these fish, it’s very, very clear to us. You could see it, no questions asked.”Just two months ago, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the addition of 10 drones to its squadron, bringing the total to 18 that can be used to monitor shark activity along her state's beaches.
Florida is usually the country's leader in shark bites. There were 16 last year, which was twice as many as runner-up New York. The first known encounter of the summer happened Monday, when a 15-year old girl felt a bite on her leg while swimming. At a different beach soon after, another teen had to paddle back to shore after something began nibbling on his toes.
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