Has There Ever Been a Shark Attack in Washington State?

Has There Ever Been a Shark Attack in Washington State?

So Shark Week on the Discovery Channel has come and gone but folks like me are enamored with sharks. Are you one of those people who can't seem to get enough of sharks?

How Common Are Sharks In Washington State?

Sharks are cool but also scary especially if you encounter one. We've all seen the movies so anyone swimming in the Columbia River might think they'll encounter a shark but it's highly unlikely.

Of course, my first thought of sharks is those crazy Sharknado movies but let's see if we can resolve any myths about sharks in Washington State.

Get our free mobile app

The one place you could encounter a shark is in the Puget Sound. That's really where my question begins

Has there ever been a reported shark attack in Washington State?

You'll be surprised to learn that there are 30 different varieties of sharks swimming in the Puget Sound but only two documented shark attacks in the history of Washington State.

According to sharkinsider.com, one attack occurred in 1989 and then again in 2017, and both encounters with 0 fatalities. The attacks both involved a surfer and a great white in Gray's Harbor but the odds of encountering a shark would be rare in Washington State

So if you were curious, only two reports have ever been recorded in WA but it still might be a little intimidating to be swimming out there in the Puget Sound.