Coming to a Beach Near You

Probably a GMO, I'll ask lyn about it.

Oh my....

To the extent that sinuous and sensuous are the same, that doesn't look so bad. Does it bite?

you can pet it and find out

From the linked article: "The sea snakes are "incredibly venomous," Heal the Bay announced on its Facebook page, and people are urged to stay away, but there's "no need to panic.""

it does sound oxymoronic . actually that little guy is far from home. think of how whales or dolphins beach themselves when sick or dying. the snake on the beach wasn't "hunting", he was almost dead and unlikely to attack anything. thank El Nino

I didn't see it as oxymoronic - even such a half-dead poor thing could probably summon up the strength for a last feeble (but deadly) strike at a child, dog or idiot who tried to pick it up, or maybe even just got too close.

No, it won't bite, if you smoke a cigarette , that old man said.

They are still lucky to roam around your shores and not in Vietnam where some ended up in tonic drink, others as snacks.

You didn't really think hammerheads were an issue, did you?

Certainly hope not!

Fredski--And, they are catching marlin off the Channel Islands, and great whites in SF Bay--Indeed , a strange year, due to the Little Child..

I've been a year round body-surfer since the early 70's. occasionally a white shark is spotted but they're more of a Monterey Santa Cruz thing. I see blue sharks when I go fishing offshore. I had never heard of a Hammerhead in So Cal waters until this year. a couple of them have attacked/nipped at kayakshttp://cdn.theguardian.tv/mainwebsite/2015/09/23/150923Shark_FromGAus-16x9.mp4

Here in Florida, it is not uncommon to see a medium sized or larger shark not far from swimmers at the beach. If it is one of the larger sharks, it is not uncommon for it to be a hammerhead.

What is very uncommon is a hammerhead attacking a human. While they are seen close to swimmers, can get pretty big, and look like something made up for a horror film, the threat is minimal. For similar conditions, bull sharks are a far larger threat.

I don't remember any hammer head shark attacks locally, even non fatal. There was a fatal bull shark attack locally not that long ago, in intercoastal waters. The guy was doing something in the water just off the dock and a bull shark killed him with his wife seeing thr whole thing only a few feet away (on the dock).

There are something like less than 50 reported hammerhead attacks on people reported....not last year or in the US, just known. None of those AFAIAA have been fatal.

Don't let their looks intimidate you.