The sharks migrate from Miami-Dade County to as far north as New York, starting mid-January until mid-March. Jupiter is located in the path of this migration, but locals still go in the ocean.

“I was surfing right after a storm and the water was murky, while I was paddling out, a shark jumped out about 40 feet away from me,” junior Bella Delgado said.“I still go in the water because the sharks don’t usually bother you, most are juveniles and are more scared of us then we are of them.” 

While some may think the sharks are a risk, others are apathetic to their existence.

“This time of year is always the best time to go to the beach because it’s not too hot and there are some waves compared to summer. The sharks have never once bothered me and I don’t think that there has ever been a major shark attack case in Jupiter. The migrating sharks just do their own thing,” junior Carly Green said. 

According to Oceana, an international organization focused on oceans, shark migration is important to the ocean because they clean out weak and sick fish, which helps preserve our coral reefs and seagrasses. 

“Growing up in Jupiter you don’t think twice about how lucky we are but compared to other places, our beaches, and crystal clear water is out of this world. To me, sharks mean more than you’d think because Jupiter wouldn’t be as special without them,” Green said.