The 1916 New Jersey Shark Attacks Location

The Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916 were a series of shark attacks along the coast of New Jersey, in the United States, between July 1 and 12, 1916, in which four people were killed and one injured. This is the Matawan Creek location from those attacks. The book / movie JAWS was based on these infamous shark attacks.
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[@MobileInstinct]

Let me clarify that it is 1 mile to the Raritan Bay which then goes into the Atlantic Ocean. I hoped the map provided in the video would have made it obvious that I misspoke.

[@jimrossi7708]

Another great 👍🏼 video and this hits very close to home for me as I live about 25/30 miles from Matawan !

[@vopenacattleco]

If you ever get back to NE Oregon, I think you would like to see the old town heppner flood. Lots of families still around there living and in the cemetery that were affected by this

[@TheBinoyVudi]

Man you were very close to my house.. if I knew you were out here filming, I would have come to see you and get a photo with you !

[@CT-yl3oj]

Great video! You'd deserve to be on TV. Always have correct info for these stories..or atleast try to be close. I couldn't imagine swimming in there and a shark appears. Now days it would be shocking, but could you imagine back then when they prolly didn't have the shark info we do now. So crazy!

[@fubarlife7776]

Of course our government is going to say it's a bacterial or a viral outbreak with the fish, I'm willing to bet that it is toxic waste that is killing those fish from billionaires that dump their toxic waste in the ocean!

[@Redwhiteandtired]

That 24 year old that tried to recover the boy and bled to death is a hero and I'm glad his story is being told. Great video.

[@SURENITY]

He really is!!

[@unknownperson6781]

RIP 24 year old Hero guy.

[@quinna5537]

Stanley Fisher

[@Redwhiteandtired]

@@quinna5537 thank you sir

[@thetruepatriot7733]

He's an idiot... he was told by the kids it was a shark!! He didn't believe them , his arrogance thinking he could be the hero and recover the body is what got him killed. He wasn't trying to save the boy, it was obvious the kid was already dead.. He shouldn't of gone into the water being told It was a shark!

[@Michael-ci1gp]

Anyone else read the "I Survived" book of this when they were little?

[@Colok10]

Yessss 😂

[@nerfdude6312]

Yes ofc

[@JosueAguilar_01]

Yeah, I had a few of them until some kids ripped them up. :/

[@bloodypainter8244]

Me

[@kaleo_wong6590]

Yup

[@JacQuie1776]

I live on the street where this graveyard is. Sometimes I walk with a friend and his dogs and we always go right past Lester’s grave. He told me legend has it that Mr Fisher’s grave is buried over looking Lester’s as if he is still watching over him today. Very bittersweet. May they all rest in peace.

[@chrishallmark4407]

That's the one thing I've never done, never actually went to that Cemetery.

[@nphilly420]

Does any1 still swim there ever?

[@ruthannkizakavich3325]

🙏🙏🙏

[@MsLivster]

@@nphilly420curious to know as well!!

[@jackshittle]

@@nphilly420 Nobody does because it's all jenky, murky, mud & tall weeds. We just go to the beach.

[@TERMICOBRA]

I've read about these attacks for decades starting in the 1990's when I was young. This video was the first footage that I've ever seen that so thoroughly exposed the exact locations. These docks and locations will disappear as time goes by. The wood will rot and the waterway edges will change. This footage will increase in importance as time goes by. Thank You for your contribution to the historical record. Let's hope it doesn't get lost.

[@jahbelive]

I’d imagine in 1916 that water was actually pretty decent quality to swim in look at how nasty it is now even the fish drop dead from swimming in it...

[@angielegumbre2976]

Really sad

[@blakebacarella9445]

Not enough oxygen flow or bad pH

[@launchtexasintothesunforev9551]

The cost of being “business friendly”.

[@invisigerb2578]

D:

[@jungleGSC]

that was the first thing i noticed, and i was immediately disgusted with our species

[@jameselliott5315]

As teenagers canoeing on the Patuxent river we saw a 7 foot bull shark swim under our canoe in about 3 feet of clear water, we were about 40 miles from the mouth of the Chesapeake bay up river. Nobody believed us until a few years later 2 massive bull sharks were caught at the mouth of the Patuxent.

[@noahjohns7954]

I mean, bull sharks can take freshwater

[@block8959]

When did that happen because when I was a kid on the elk river that’s north of the Chesapeake there was a bull shark in the waters swimming around .

[@biggordo482]

here in Kansas is the same thing with the Aligator gar. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism denies they exist here but I seen a few with my buddys im talking like 8-10 foot bastards. want to go down there with my mosin nagant and peg one of the big fuckers.

[@eddieparsons2990]

I'd shit myself if I seen a 7ft shark under my canoe. I always wanted a saltwater kayak to fish until I watched a video of a guy fishing off Oahu and a huge tiger shark just comes gliding along underneath his kayak. Looked like a dam mini sub. I did watch a tv special once, I'm pretty sure they said they've recorded bull sharks half way up the Mississippi river, crazy.

[@JohnWickkkk]

@@biggordo482 what

[@leechmiller1072]

Over a century later and that little boy still gets toys, that's really nice of people. Thank you for making this video and showing these locations. These events have always interested me but as I live in Belfast it's not easy for me to see it for myself.

[@colonel1003]

12:55

[@zacktimmons2886]

Reminds me of swimming in the Chesapeake bay as a kid. I always knew sharks COULD be in the water where we were. Honestly a fear that’s never truly left me

[@Sherriehoney]

I grew up on the delaware bay....ya don't dare swim there either. Same feeling.

[@Meow-oo7yk]

I grew up In Chesapeake, we never swam in the rivers because there were often shark sightings. The Chesapeake bay wasn’t all that interesting to swim in anyway compared to sandbridge, my family always went there instead especially because of how trashed the Chesapeake bay became. We wouldn’t even eat crabs caught from the bay at some point. I only swam in it once and it was not the best experience, especially compared to the NC beaches and south eastern VA beaches. The history in Virginia, even in the Chesapeake bay was what was really interesting about it. But yeah swimming in open water is really scary, it was almost like there were more shark sightings in the bay and rivers than at the actual beaches!

[@lifeislyrical3657]

Same here with the Chesapeake. We used to jump off my grandfather's boat in the middle of the bay when I was little or swim in Back River (where we always heard there were juvenile sharks) all the time. But then after swimming at Calvert Cliffs once we saw a group of sandbar sharks where we had just gotten out. I was done with the bay after that. I'll go to clearer waters...even though I had a close encounter with a great hammerhead even in clear water. At least I saw it coming! I'll take the hammer i can see coming over the potential bull I can't see.

[@1stwonder788]

@@lifeislyrical3657hammerhead?? Sheesh

[@praisesol2740]

​@@lifeislyrical3657give or take how big of a grwat hammerhead? Theyre up there with great whites in length even if theyre not as stocky and massive

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Bruh, all the dead fish just adds to the dark vibe of that place, on top of the murky water... it's no wonder NJ has a whole magazine about the weird and creepy things within it

[@bikeman1x11]

there was a fish kill at that time in the raritan bay

[@dymondqueen1584]

Really?? Never knew that. Interesting

[@spacedorito9592]

As a New Jersey resident, this is true.

[@BasketballVal]

They said that the fish have a bacteria

[@Ryu_hayabusa561]

Must mean the jersey devil is real

[@dice2633]

NJ resident here. I actually did a small journalism piece regarding those fish. The dead fish are a result of the toxic waste, specifically lead leaking in from the Raritan bay. It’s actually a whole issue that stems from years and years of pollution from Staten Island and North Jersey industrialization. The local residents are still struggling to get the EPA’s attention.

[@SirenaSpades]

"actually"

[@cryptozoomauler5505]

Is the E.P.A. paying attention yet? I hope so.

[@jeremyversusjazz]

frickin sickening scarier than the ultra rare shark stoey

[@KrazyKaiser]

It's such a shame how little our government does to protect out natural ecosystems that are so precious to us. Especially when it's basically someone back yard that kids used to go swimming in. (despite shark attacks)

[@jesusislord7526]

Nope. The elites are deliberately destroying natural food sources everywhere so when they pull the plug on society… we can’t be self sustainable and therefore will be dependent on their NWO.

[@DIRIGO7]

I appreciate the reverence you showed at their graves. It's important that stories of people like that live on in true documentaries that remind us of the everyday nature of tragedy and heroism, rather than in just books and movies.

[@britdom5119]

The gravesites are heartbreaking. Stanley Fisher is a hero and I think his grave should be just as adorned. Thank you for this video, I had no idea.

[@Pavia1525]

Always remember an Australian documentary where a Park Ranger says “If you swim in the ocean, you may or may not encounter a shark. But if you try to swim across the river behind me, I 100% guarantee you will not make it to the other side.” Saltwater Crocodiles...

[@berettaxd7566]

Yea they killed hundreds of people in WW2.

[@katesims2346]

Bull sharks also like creeks and rivers and can stand either salt or fresh water so can swim along way up from the ocean. Another Aussie delight.

[@calebday6988]

@@katesims2346 maneater

[@taleandclawrock2606]

Our nearby tidal Ross River ( Qld, Australia) has bull sharks and crocs occaisionally....people still waterski on it...

[@tonyzamora258]

Florida!

[@natecloe8535]

How exactly did you keep your paddles from dissolving in the water in New Jersey? Ffs that fish jumped up and into a crack to die and escape that nasty shit.

[@jhamner9484]

There seemed to be an awful lot of floating dead fish....😵

[@1stock36]

😂

[@speedyspooley]

@@jhamner9484 - Yeah, unfortunately the water in this part of NJ is really bad. Runoff including fertilizer, road dirt and a long history of industrial pollution make it really nasty water.

[@sanfrancisco9661]

Its a trivia story but there is a famous cave in Florida where SCUBA divers / cave divers explore. They often drown as they get lost, etc. But in one case, they couldn't find the diver... he was in there somewhere. A diving expert from out of state gave it a shot and found the body. He had become lost in the cave tunnels, ran out of air, and in a panic to surface tried to get through between the boulders around the tunnel. His body was missed by previous searchers because it was wedged UP and INTO a crack about 8 inches wide on the roof of the tunnel. He was like that fish you mentioned.

[@imtoohighforthis217]

@@sanfrancisco9661 didnt Mr Ballen do a story on that. lol

[@AfterArtist]

My great great uncle was killed by a shark when jetty jumping in Australia, it’s always interesting but extremely saddening to hear stories like this, beautifully well constructed video

[@Shinuchiha_99]

Yeah I had a friend who got bitten on his calf by a 6ft bullshark in puerto Vallarta Mexico.. ripped a good portion of his lower leg right off.. he says he still has nightmares about it.. but he’s doing good now.. he had to have multiple skin graphs and surgeries to repair the damage.. but after a yr of rehab he got back to normal.. sorry to hear about your uncle bud 😌😔

[@NatYourAverageNerd]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I've only been to Australia once so far, but I would like to visit again because there is so much I didn't get to explore as a kid.

[@mowilderness8505]

Just so everyone knows, this creek at high tide has a significant saltwater intake in it. A 9ft Great White was actually caught at the mouth during that time. There are videos now of great whites in estuaries. I sincerely believe it was the 9ft great white. Also of note it had strange flesh in it that was confirmed to be human remains. Thank you for mentioning this

[@mannycheese1166]

That is correct. The attacks coincided with a spring tide, the highest of the year. It would have brought the attack site to salinity levels equivalent to coastal oceans. Regular daily high tides are pushing the 80 % salinity of coastal oceans. White sharks have been recorded in lower salinities than that.

[@johnnylee8342]

Bull sharks swim up estuaries to give birth not gw

[@comeatmebro3229]

@@mannycheese1166 i would still say the chance it was a bullshark is still higher then it being a white, the area just screams bullshark territory and while white sharks can travel up tidal creeks it is very very very rare for them to do so while Bullsharks love that sort of territory. i personally believe it was 2 or more sharks, the attacks at Beach Haven and Spring lake at could very well have been White sharks but i believe the ones in the creek to be more likely a Bullshark attack, the location is prime bullshark territory, the high tides imo actually goes in favour of the Bullshark as the water movement actually makes water clarity worse (Bullsharks are more aggressive when water clarity is lower) and the time of the year is exactly when Bullsharks give birth to their pups and is when they are the most aggressive

[@mannycheese1166]

@@comeatmebro3229 You're right, no doubt it's much more common for Bull sharks to be up brackish waters , but one has to look at locatio here on the East Coast.. Bull sharks north of Chesapeake bay are extremely rare. Not sure where u are located at, but the saltwater state tackle record in NJ still remains vacant in the Bull shark category to this day, even with a warming climate/ocean the last century. I too believe there were different sharks involved. Bull sharks wouldn''t give birth in waters that cool and that far north. According to Biologists, Bull sharks will not birth until water temps hit 85 F. They sure love their warm waters. According to attack expert Richard Fernicola , who had collected weather data from the state for his book on the attacks, water temps that early summer were mid/low 60's F. A Bull shark swimming through those cool waters to get to the Matawan would be unprecedented. When looking at tracking studies of East Coast Bull sharks, One that far north that early in the summer would also be unprecedented. The furthest Northern recorded inshore/coastal Bull shark capture was Delaware Bay (Pre 2020 that is). The most compelling evidence of the whole Matawan attacks would be the wound descriptions from the 2 attending physicians of the last 2 attack victims. These descriptions are identical to white shark bites with spaced lacerations according to attack experts such as Dan Huber, Marie Levine and former International Shark Attack File director George Burgess. One went so far as to say Bull sharks inflicting these type of wounds are impossible as their teeth are to close together (Average Interdental Distance), stating this on the program "When sharks attack". The probability of a Bull Shark would be extremely low to overcome some of these factors stated by experts. Most likely why the International Shark Attack file still lists the white shark as responsible.

[@sabi_stray83]

​@@comeatmebro3229I agree. One of the coastal attacks lost his legs, which to me says great white attack. The creek attacks seem like more muscle was lost, which sounds like something smaller. The aggression of multiple attacks also fits bull shark personality more.

[@tailhookmd2546]

Can we just acknowledge the outstanding job this young man did making this. Great speaker, very authentic, empathetic, just trying to present the history as he researched it. Well done!!

[@rouxchat6033]

Yes, very well done.

[@thomastammaro693]

Great video. As somebody who's traveled the GSPW many times up there, I figured the site was probably visible from the roadway if you just knew where to look. Very well done sir.

[@xr6lad]

And hung like a baboon!

[@RewskOnTV]

Yes I agree I hope someday he’ll come over to Los Angeles and cover a story or two and meet and greet with him

[@sugarcube1907]

totally agree with you, I love how he present the story it's very satisfying to listen to

[@mangoo9807]

It actually kinda feels scary watching him row around, the water looks so bad you don't know what's down there, anything could of jumped up.

[@JessHull]

yeah I got the same feeling, it was very creepy and to think how bad that water is if he fell in he'd get sick for sure.

[@darkstar844able]

I go kayaking in a tidal Creek not far from there and there's been a few times where I could feel something big swim underneath me.

[@Yura_Voyes]

Yea the dead fish would jump up lol

[@richardpeterson4955]

@@darkstar844able okay..lol

[@geotheleo2716]

I don’t think anything would be having the urge to swim through that water in this creek.

[@pm829]

A few years ago I read a fantasic book about this called 'Twelve Days of Terror'. Now I have your excellent video to see where it all went down. I appreciate that you took the trouble to find Lester & Stanley's graves. Thank you for that. It's wonderful that they haven't been forgotton, especially Stanley's bravery.

[@DreamWolfPics]

This man told the story so well and takes us around to the various locations. It’s like he’s a tour guide.

[@sushistudios5627]

Imagine if a shark just popped up and was like *you were saying*

[@wdsftygt]

Ok baby, lil baby comment goo goo ba ba I’ll say anything

[@norman8737]

15:18

[@ajsakura]

Lol

[@alexkauffer3446]

@@wdsftygt what?

[@rage2k288]

@@wdsftygt tf you on

[@breakingbud2530]

Use to swim in a large creek that was open to a lake with a sea way which turned out to be a breeding ground for bull sharks I’m surprised none of us kids were taken Rest In Peace boys

[@breakingbud2530]

@bill william yeah maybe was rich in mullet and other fish but accidents do happen

[@davidortiz3094]

@bill william Bullsharks are more likely to attack humans than any other Shark. Known for the feeding frenzy & picking individuals out.

[@oneshotonekillsniper2228]

@@davidortiz3094 this is mainly due to bull sharks terrible sight so they do a bump and taste to inspect things so they bump and bite to see if things are food or not

[@kaybevang536]

@bill william I mean even when they don’t want to feed on people if you piss them off they will rip you apart and leave your half eaten corpse lying in the water or on shore

[@tais4588]

I’ve dived with bull sharks before in Playa del Carmen. Huge pregnant bull sharks. Nothing to worry about

[@itzlogan_yt.o3322]

There is actually a book about this event, and it is a realistic fiction book, called “I survived the shark attack of 1916” and it’s really cool.

[@nathan84216]

I read it. The main character is Chet Roscow. He's a fictional character that survived this event. It's by Lauren Tarshis.

[@littlebear3554]

I had it when I was little. My favorite I survived book

[@hal4828]

i remember reading it when i was little. that was the first thing i thought of while watching this

[@zachwells4677]

Can you imagine enjoying a swim on a hot day on a careless summer day, only to be attacked by a shark. I feel deep empathy for those who have to go through that. That has to be one of worst nightmarish realities to ever exist

[@Alexandra_Wolf]

That’s truly incredible that Lester’s grave still receives toys. That’s incredibly thoughtful and kind. I can’t imagine how his parents felt. It would be incredibly interesting to have a roster with interesting historical deaths in each cemetery. So people can pay respects like they currently do with Lester.

[@Clarkcanepa]

Take a shot every time this broad says incredibly

[@hunterrosen8157]

@@Clarkcanepa I blacked out ooof

[@dereks7061]

You’re incredible.

[@sykwookiee]

@@dereks7061 incredibly incredible...

[@Iris_Germany]

Light a candle for every murdered or finned shark. This would be incredible bc that’s more than 73 millions every year!!! 😔 The only murderers are we humans 😔

[@beelzebubpigbenis4119]

The sharks were just trying to prevent Jersey Shore from being created.

[@Jules-um4ir]

I saw your photo right away and I went back to read the creepypasta about the Russian sleep experiments

[@beelzebubpigbenis4119]

@@Jules-um4ir lol nice

[@jamescook5487]

It was a noble effort but they were to eager and showed up to early.

[@Carter-rf3xp]

Your profile picture scared me ngl

[@AnUnusualEg]

You have 666 likes thats amazing.

[@celticrose5447]

The kids that had the tug of war with the shark so damn brave!! And the poor man trying recover the body 😢

[@floatingbacon3909]

Thank you for taking me to the actual place this happened. I have been obsessed with this story since I was a young child. You’ve let me see, hear, and imagine what it was like for these kids and adults. Thank you so much!

[@CDAinVA]

Extremely humbling and real, hearing the event and walking/paddling along with you. Thank you for this mini-documentary

[@Spooky_Dook]

Oh, he's fantastic. Never disappoints. All around great channel. 👌🏼.

[@gregggoss2210]

Seems since this video was posted, the newest issue of Weird N.J. magazine has come out and this story is featured on the cover. Good article about it too.

[@Fluffymcfluffersons]

You can barely see it but a fish jumps out the water at 14:45 way back right of the first tunnel on the left

[@bjamesharley1325]

Great to see someone using the word "humbling" correctly. The Queen of England referred to her diamond jubilee as "humbling". I'm pretty sure having millions of people celebrate your anniversary while you wear tens of millions of dollars in jewels is the exact opposite of "humbling".

[@Fluffymcfluffersons]

@Billy Sastard 😂😂

[@theredcinder7437]

I appreciate the fact that you acknowledge that these were real people, most people treat them as only historical statistics without knowing better, awesome vid

[@jsmith8646]

We have heaps of Bull Sharks here in Australia its very common to see the pups swimming in the shallows of canals and rivers really quite far up stream. Basically the large females (up to 3.5m) will swim right upstream to pup as the little sharks have a higher survival rate, then amazingly the female actually stays with the pups for up to three days before she swims back out to sea to have a well deserved feed. Basically it's a good idea to avoid the rivers in late spring early summer. Sadly nobody could have known this back in 1916.

[@MarkAllenHyenaMotorcade]

Great video. Visiting the grave sites was an extra special and moving touch. As a young kid growing up near Newport Beach, CA I had an early fascination with sharks. I read so many books on attacks and the three that were the most compelling to me personally were this one in Matawan, NJ, the US Indianapolis sinking and Robert Pamperin who was taken by a huge GW in the kelp beds in La Jolla, CA....all of these stories were incredibly frightening to me....and then in the summer of 1975 JAWS was released. My mom had a beach house on Balboa Island that summer and NO ONE was in the water.....I was even traumatized to the point of making sure to check my parents backyard pool with a wary eye before getting in....I know that sounds ridiculous and it is now of course as a grown man, but back then it seemed plausible to my 12 year old shark traumatized mind...haha....anyways, great vid. Thank you!

[@Lucasio24]

Crazy how that was over 100 years ago but personally it doesn’t feel that old

[@Spongebrain97]

I think it feels the opposite. It was only 100 years ago but feels longer because thats such a by gone era. People in their 70s and 80s werent even born yet

[@JasonPopan]

I think it feels like the future because it will happen again

[@JasonPopan]

@Mark Daniels he is speaking his truth.

[@Lucasio24]

@Mark Daniels yes I’m about 300 years old

[@nismocal373]

@Gordon Ramsey pathetic i remember feeling the warm light that touched me when the big bang happened

[@ajreplies3578]

The shark in question is called a Bull Shark, they can store salt in their gills to travel up freshwater rivers and creeks.

[@christopherwood2290]

@budliite Are you really that stupid? Matawan Creek has dozens of tributaries that dump into it which are all freshwater. Including Lake Lefferts.

[@orfeovrede1827]

Correct

[@shanedamann4544]

They actually store it in their anal gland I believe.

[@AP-uc7oz]

@budliite chill

[@AP-uc7oz]

Brackish * but yes

[@WorldWideWebObserver]

I’ve heard of this happening and appreciate your sharing the details and showing exactly where these unfortunate incidents occurred. Thanks!

[@roundsm18]

My grandmother talked about this when I was growing up. She had this love and yet still fear of the ocean. When Jaws came out she read the book and swore Peter Benchley ripped it off. She refused to watch the movie until the early 2000s. When she died in 2012 her sister said she never actually went in the water after that except for swimming pools.

[@redwolf1135]

This guy is great at telling stories and very respectful of the Dead. Perfect ending as well. Couldn't have said it better!

[@kazumahoshizora5175]

that fish stuck in that crevice of the tunnel at the beginning having a rough day

[@treebeard7140]

It's a defensive strategy I'm sure it's fine

[@rvanemburg78]

Man: Tells historic story of tragedy Random Fish: *shoves face in tunnel crevice*, "no pictures plz"

[@Batman-bl5qy]

That's how fish sleep.

[@treebeard7140]

Batman he got his moment of fame and never even knew it.

[@Batman-bl5qy]

@@treebeard7140 🤣 True he is famous on KZbin now!

[@WSL1911]

I just stumbled on your KZbin site. Amazing videos! I have plenty of friends who think I’m strange for visiting off the beaten path places. It’s nice to see others are equally interested in peculiar places! Keep up the great work and thank you for sharing!

[@mbuck253]

I luckily came across your channel by very random means. What luck! I’m only 3 minutes in and am already impressed with the level of research done and in turn shared with your viewers. No ridiculous over-the-top shenanigans. Just giving the true story in a respectful manner all while showing the actual locations. I cannot properly convey how rare this is and how much I truly appreciate it. I’m now 1/3 of the way through the first video of yours I’ve ever seen, but I’ve already seen enough. Seeing the huge amount of views just confirmed my belief. Instantly subscribed! Can’t wait to see what else is in store for me on your channel. Thank you!

[@DavidJones-sc6jc]

Keep in mind that Matawan Creek in the early 20th Century was significantly deeper than nowadays. Large container ships and stuff moved through it. It was easily 15-20 deep at high tide.

[@Lily_of_the_Forest]

I was wondering if the area was bigger, deeper, cleaner back then.

[@GrabbaBeer]

Large container ships cannot navigate in 20 foot deep water. You’re severely mistaken.

[@Danvers97]

@@GrabbaBeer actually they can. Depending on the size. In south carolina the old port at port royal was only an average of 23-25 feet deep at low tide. Bulk cargo ships could still navigate. Granted they were not the modern post Panamax ships and im sure thats not the kind of ship the OP was talking about either.

[@GrabbaBeer]

@@Danvers97 where I live they use to always get stuck by near where my boat was docked. Some made it through but a lot got stuck. Im saying if this creek was 15-20 feet at high tide then there’s no way these ships would make it or dock over night. They’d be sideways dry docked within 6 hours of low tide and damaged lol

[@ImWillsZX]

@@Lily_of_the_Forest im from matawan, even 3 years ago it didnt look like this, its sad

[@i_eat_children_every_day2162]

The fact there was a fish hanging from the walls of that tunnel gave me chills

[@James-vy5jg]

Yea who tf put that there

[@MasonBrumbaugh]

@@James-vy5jg probably Georgie from the movie it

[@user-vo9mw8ho4v]

@@MasonBrumbaugh bruh

[@user-vo9mw8ho4v]

@@MasonBrumbaugh its not real

[@MateoK9]

Probably got stuck there when the water was higher

[@antoineduchamp4931]

Love your content Chris. I watch everyone. Much better than any standard mega-big Broadcaster. Clear, always cool, always very informative.

[@redbaron0949]

Lamont, I have a lot of admiration for him, he grew up in LA, refused to waste his life in the Hoods, and is one of the finest persons you will meet on KZbin. Like many of us, he is curious about the forgotten lives of the past. I enjoy your videos also, your friendly unassuming demeanor is great.

[@blazintrails3023]

That must be some nasty water there's a dead fish floating every 5ft

[@Jeffmetal42]

That's what I was thinking, Jersey truly is a cesspool.

[@zacm9747]

He said there's some kind of bacteria the fish are dying from in the area.

[@ilovenythismuchilovenewyor5801]

Bunker been dealing w this bacteria for the longest supposedly. there's reports on it if you Google it or KZbin it .. same goes w deer and humans and etc

[@deendrew36]

I am sure the quality was much different in 1916.

[@abbigalepaige5605]

obviously the bacteria is something that comes from pollution....humans are nasty.

[@srfhdx5584]

My dad told me a story about his days in Australia in the 90s. He used to live in Newcastle and the best bar in town was on the hunter river spit, opposite the shipping harbour. He said they would go out until early hours of the morning a lot since he was there for 6 months job hopping and having fun. At the end of the night they would leap into the hunter river and splash and swim around for ages. This was in Western Australia, 200m from where the fishing boats washed their tanks and sorted their catch and prepared chum. He said they are incredibly lucky none of them got attacked by a tiger or bull shark and it makes his stomach turn when he thinks about it now

[@bennetsgreen]

Well your dad is wrong, I live in Newcastle and it’s on the eastern side of Australia. Also I have never heard of sharks being in the hunter river.

[@srfhdx5584]

@@bennetsgreen yep. That’s my bad geography. I was thinking Newcastle was north of Perth but no, north of Sydney. He just said that during the day they would see fins in the harbour and it never occurred to them that it was a bad idea to go leaping in at night

[@bennetsgreen]

@@srfhdx5584 there are barely any sharks in Newcastle that I know of. We have had shark nets in place before the 90s and helicopters that send out an alarm to areas if they see anything that even closely resembles a shark. People make up so many things about Australia haha

[@ChampaynePapi06]

@@bennetsgreen Its not far fetched brah. Ever heard of a bull shark lol

[@mAd221000]

Your off about the location its on the East Coast of OZ as you've corrected. Your dads spot on about the sharks in the hunter river especially close to the mouth. Ive caught and seen them from whites, bulls, hammerheads and bronzies. The bar he drank at wouldve been the Queens wharf Brewery and it was pretty common for punters to jump in on a hot night including myself it was pretty sharky looking and the water is super deep, the idea was not to be the first in or last out Lol Good times!

[@bubby2325]

Phenomenal video! I've read a lot on this and you summarized it perfectly. I especially liked visiting the graves of Stanley and Lester.

[@elizabethannbender1735]

This is the 1st time I'm seeing 1 of your videos & I've instantly subscribed. You are a terrific content creator !

[@AlwaysUpgradingRCTurko]

There could be 20 sharks in there and you’d never know it. Creepy.

[@Curlyheart]

Shark cute

[@RM-ed1if]

Or 21

[@jshaw4757]

CHOMP 🦈

[@Xbox37098]

Sonar?

[@Boppinabe]

No sharks in Matawan Creek anymore.

[@gusrubio489]

I'm binging your videos, great stuff! I really like how you revisited the dock site in this one at low tide to reveal some of the derelict dock parts. That's great reporting.

[@cathyhorn963]

That was an excellent video. Nothing hyperbolic or sensationalized. Extremely informative. Very good commentator. I was very impressed.

[@ChuckM0503]

Not too long ago I was listening to a couple guys do a commentary track for Jaws and the topic of a sequel or reboot came up and one of the guys had the idea that if there was going to be another Jaws movie it should be a loose prequel based on the attacks in 1916. I thought that was a pretty good idea. He actually had a great idea for the ending which would basically be one of the characters of the movie wondering if there'd be more attacks or worried for the future. At that point the camera would pan out and zoom out over the ocean traveling great distances and many years into the future. Eventually the camera would pan up and a beach would come into view. Two people, a man and a woman are running, down towards the ocean. Maybe some audio pulled from Jaws clues the audience in that it's Chrissie and the man she was supposed to go swimming with. Just a Chrissie enters the water a dorsal fin breaches the surface the those two familiar notes from John Williams's score plays and cut to black. The movie ends where the original Jaws began. Obviously the rest of the movie would need to be fleshed out, but I just thought that ending was a really cool idea to connect the two movies without really stepping on the toes of the original.

[@Spongebrain97]

Definitely sounds better than the actual sequels we got

[@delta8kitty491]

Make this happen Spielberg!

[@justinboyett5186]

Genius my guy....I hope tht shit happens

[@jordshot1543]

im in

[@fuqit88]

Perfect!! I can totally see this as box office gold! Our generation stood in line for hours to get tickets, then another long line to get in........??TOTALLY WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!! The Lakeside theater back home charged 50 cents for tickets!! Alot cheaper then today's fucked up charges!!!

[@nickcef]

I used to take that train from NYC to Matawan a lot, and I was reminded of that tragedy every time I looked down on that creek from the train above. It's a huge part of Matawan NJ history.

[@PackLeader-1990]

Yeah I take that train all the time as I'm an old bridge native. I live in Keyport now but used to live right down Ravine Dr. in Matawan

[@grimmster8471]

the amount of dead fish is SCARY

[@jimtaylor6663]

This location is about 40 miles north of where I live and I've always wanted to go there. Thanks for making this!

[@thegalactictimetraveler5829]

1:16 that fish had the absolute worst odds

[@PamaDirector]

Friggin dude was stuck in the wall XD

[@idonhaveanyideawhattocallm1472]

Ceiling fish

[@charmeleon3680]

Literally 🤣

[@PastorOfMuppetsVIVIVI]

It would’ve gotten stuck when it was high tide

[@thegalactictimetraveler5829]

@@PastorOfMuppetsVIVIVI duhhhh

[@BrandyH-eh9up]

That merky water is freaking me out. Especially that tunnel omg 😳

[@fountaincap]

Imagine running into a shark in the tunnel!

[@LordMalice6d9]

@@fountaincap No escape!

[@yesyup9111]

It’s like the Jurassic park ride

[@BrandyH-eh9up]

@@yesyup9111 or the jaws ride 😂😫😅

[@yesyup9111]

@@BrandyH-eh9up We don’t have that here in Cali but always wanted to go on it because I love Jaws

[@dennisszejman6390]

Great video, well done. I always wanted to see the locations of where this happened. You covered that and more. Thanks for making and sharing the video.

[@SuperOmnicronsj44]

nice .... the 1916 jersey attacks mentioned in the film. Outstanding. The irony; One of the greatest director's of our time got his blockbuster with a Shark attack, and the 2nd greatest director (arguably) got his his start with another water predator ... Pirhana 2 (James Cameron).

[@furrysharker]

The shark may have been there for some time. One of the local boys, Rennie Cartan, recalled swimming there before the attack and feeling something that felt like coarse sandpaper brush up against him in the creek. He had the abrasion scar on his stomach for the rest of his life.

[@samanthab1923]

Yes! I went to Broad St. school for 4th & 5th grades back in the 60's & our school Liberian told us about him. Was still alive & living in town. Thanks for that 🙏🏻

[@tannerdylan5972]

There might still be sharks in that water way. At 15:20 he’s standing on the shore and behind him something in the water comes up and makes a splash on surface!!! I’m sure it was just a fish though 😂

[@5jakethesnake58]

Wasn’t there a book about this????? I don’t remember if this is the place but I read it and the boy was attacked

[@furrysharker]

@@5jakethesnake58 There are actually three specifically written about this - 'Shadows in the the Sea' by Allen, 'Twelve Days of Terror' by Fernicola, and 'Close to Shore' by Capuzzo. All are worth reading to learn more about the attacks.

[@tannerdylan5972]

@ab vevo really I’ve always been into sharks since I was a kid and I wanted to be a marine biologist till I change my mind shortly after school and the bull shark is one of my personal favorites. But I never knew what you said but did you mean that they and their offspring live breed and die all in the same area without ever leaving? Or do you mean they frequent the same few areas in close proximity to each other? Or did you mean just give birth in the same waters?lol

[@willypete5506]

this is in my hometown, people in Matawan don't talk about it a ton but its a pretty cool part of the history!

[@robertwolff3580]

I’m from Matawan too

[@justinyo1796]

People don't talk About it because no one is alive from 1916 lol

[@iGame3D]

@@justinyo1796 Damn that shark! Damn him to hell!

[@willypete5506]

@@justinyo1796 so nothing that happened before 1940 gets talked about? i mean most people who were alive in 1940 are dead, i’m saying we should appreciate the history of the area more than we do

[@willypete5506]

@@kalebsowinski5210 no not that i know of, it’s brackish water, most people just go to the beach since it’s not far, for a few decades i think the pollution was bad in the creek so that stopped people for sure

[@callmeperch]

An excellent & well-told history with relevant images & background imagery! Thanks so much!

[@AzraelWolf-vr4ku]

That mural entrance of the shark mouth gives me chills as the first Candyman movie. Painted by unknown followers of history.

[@lukeburr1622]

Are we gonna ignore the fish in the roof of the tunnel

[@metal_kid9682]

No

[@MateoK9]

Yes

[@epiccgamner3567]

The fish couldn't handle it anymore...

[@deendrew36]

Why would someone do that??

[@WNDR64]

and all the dead fish in the river

[@JG1rn]

The creek was much deeper in 1916. A damn was built years afterwards up-creek to contain a lake which made the creek water much shallower now.

[@samanthab1923]

When I was growing up there they told us ships used to be able to dock there. Those big houses on Main St. were built by ships captains.

[@carieevans3787]

Why were the docks so low then?

[@kayakchrispy]

@@carieevans3787 pilings go into the sand .. that’s all that is left .. prolly cut off with the top deck of the docks and repurposed

[@leechurchill1965]

@@carieevans3787 more like subsidence, I'm guessing.

[@BEEYUNG123]

Watch your mouth it’s a *dam

[@sherriclark8694]

This was an excellent video and well told by you. It was very interesting to see the family graves. As a youth I remembered hearing about this story so to see those actual locations in your video made it full circle for me. Thank you!

[@magalover2024]

Great great video I love hearing stories of the past. I could listen to them all day. I wish I could get a glimpse of the early 1900s or time travel to live in it for a bit. I bet the landscape was beautiful.

[@jasenwm]

My mom told me one time she was in her 20s in 1975 when Jaws came out. She was a big water skier all her young life. She said after she saw Jaws she didn't go in the water for a decade

[@killachinchilla9445]

So you just mention the word "Shark" while sitting in the lake and all the fish decide to play dead hoping the shark won't notice them?

[@secretlifeofkaye4605]

It’s a bay…..

[@CottonCandyTheWW2Geek]

Hahaaaa

[@ghhhjj5160]

lol

[@rainbowocean5075]

Fun fact- the shark would eat them regardless depending on the species- most likely the bull shark

[@getyourfitonproductions]

Just finished Shark Week on Discovery and your video 2 years later was a great explanation to honor those souls. It is amazing that a bull shark can travel that far inland.

[@mannycheese1166]

This creek is a tidal creek with high salinities, so no surprise that ocean fish can move into area with incoming high tides.

[@Sherriehoney]

Never trust brackish water....never.

[@notsojoerogan]

I really admire the trips you take to forgotten landmarks throughout the country. There is so much history to learn and so much to see. Your story telling really pulls it all together perfectly. I wish I could do this for a living too

[@myblasphemouslife9052]

That “You’re braver then you believe” stone that someone put on his grave made me tear up.

[@dongambrell5368]

Me too

[@strix3688]

wait... did I hear those words from Winnie the Pooh cartoon?

[@Yeah--mn9qk]

@@strix3688 yes

[@TopDog902]

I've read about this so many times in books and articles, but its really fascinating and insightful to actually see this place on video.

[@jwsstudios4697]

I read the I survived series way back in elementary. And one of the books were based off the 1916 attacks. It was called I survived the shark attacks of 1916. Great book

[@bmw328i8]

New subscriber here! Man you tell one hell of a story! Good stuff!

[@mancima]

My father grew up in this area in the 1950s and even then the kids were told to stay away from the creek because it was a “bad” place.

[@samanthab1923]

We moved to Strathmore at Matawan, a Levitt community in '63. Still don't know where this is exactly. But any of that area near town was always swampy in my mind.

[@PackLeader-1990]

@@samanthab1923 yes we have a lot of Marshlands. Strathmore is a very Jewish area but I can say that since I am one of the chosen peoples also.

[@samanthab1923]

PackLeader 1990 Yup. It was in my day as well. Irish Catholic & my kindergarten teacher was Mrs. Klein. I came home with a menorah we drew in class & my Nan was none too happy 😆 wanted me in St. Joe's in Keyport but my mom wasn't having it. I remember when they first built the temple on Lloyd Rd. Was sorry to hear the Bath & Tennis club was closed for a while. Lots of ladies played Mah-Jongg on the back patios.

[@patdo1812]

@@samanthab1923 right by the parkway

[@samanthab1923]

Pat Do OK I always thought it was at the end of Main right before you cross into Keyport. It's weird all those roads you remember from childhood. Haven't been down that way in probably 30 years. God I'm old 😊

[@houseofsolomon2440]

Seeing the very dock pilings which young Lester walked upon was remarkable! Good call checking it out at low tide...

[@psions555]

Random video that popped up for me but I'm so glad it did. Fascinating to learn about, well presented and with a respectful tilt to those affected. Great content 👍

[@MrSerioLok69]

Man. Great historical reality video. You spoke very clearly briefly about the entire scenario that happen in the past. Also how you brought a light back from those graves. Respect. Sad but true story.

[@SSWolfie404]

I have the “I Survived” book from this event, it is actually one of my favorite parts of history

[@michellemahoney9826]

Yea but most of the book is fake

[@SSWolfie404]

@@michellemahoney9826 well I know that it’s historical fiction, the characters are made up but the whole storyline, location and things are real

[@shellytriantis814]

My 13 year old son has most of the "I Survived" books also, including this one

[@SSWolfie404]

@@shellytriantis814 Oh that’s neat! I’m actually also 13, I have a TON of I Survived books and I never really noticed anyone else who read them ^^

[@shellytriantis814]

@@SSWolfie404 yeah,he got them back from when he was in elementary school at the Book Fair😀

[@gerry7860]

0:54 not even a minute into the video and already we see a fish is trying to fast forward its evolution into a bat

[@s-a6202]

what came first, the bat or the fish

[@Grimy_Aaronarr]

@@s-a6202 the bish

[@mushrooms5601]

It’s trying to become the flish from the future is wild

[@NikhalDore]

@@s-a6202 the bish

[@NikhalDore]

Mhm

[@OhCyrus]

This was a great video!! His empathy and compassion, how he visits every place and even shows respect to the families. I never knew half of this and I’m a NYer. (Neighbor)

[@GogglesandTrooper]

Really enjoyed this video and getting to see all the different spots where instances occurred plus the grave site. Very informative. Good video

[@lokisgodhi]

I had hoped someone would have done a movie that accurately depicted these incidents for the 100th anniversary in 2016. No such luck.

[@deirdrecooke7993]

There actually was a movie on Netflix around that time about it. It may still be on there.

[@darreylhenderson702]

@@deirdrecooke7993 12 Days of Terror

[@Saint696Anger]

@@darreylhenderson702 on Netflix?

[@fl0w3r45]

I can’t be the only one who got extreme anxiety while they were traveling through that dark creepy tunnel 😭

[@sashaconrad3939]

Not alone… I really disliked that part! I’m not good with enclosed spaces. And, why is there a fish stuck on the wall? This presenter is much braver than I am!

[@davidmoser3535]

Come on shae

[@elgiacomo]

Claustrophobia like a mother...

[@jshaw4757]

@@davidmoser3535 very rude

[@j.thomas7128]

And you've perfectly summarized every man's sexual experience. LoL

[@tracyv7]

Very interesting to see the location of this tragedy. Thank you for discussing those that passed with such respect.

[@rikspector]

I grew up on the Jersey shore and there were a lot of Fishers, Stillwells in the area. The bakery that used to be in the building in Lakewood where I was a picture Framer used to be Stillwells Bakery. The old stone Oven were still in the basement area where I worked. I knew about the Bull Shark theory but not about the White Shark. I been to that attack area many times in the past. Cheers, Rik Spector

[@richblackburne2681]

The creek was actually a major water way in 1916. It was this way until they built the Matawan dam off of main street. Fisher actually had to jump on a train to go to the hospital which was in Red Bank NJ at the time and bleed to death. The kids were actually skinny dipping and when the shark attack started they ran through the town naked for help. It's from the historian

[@tomcarl8021]

Man, you really love the word "actually".

[@idahomusic]

@@tomcarl8021 Yes, he actually does. I actually thought at first I was reading it wrong.

[@2g2t53]

@@idahomusic I actually didn't notice he said actually that many times at first. Its actually crazy how our minds skip over some things.

[@ChandlerTingle]

@@2g2t53 That actually happens to me a lot. It’s actually reassuring that other people actually do that as well.

[@tonybarnes3858]

@@2g2t53 He repeated "actually" to emphasize the point that so many facts were missing from this video. It's a device. He refers to the "historian", so he's keen on the facts. Obvious. Man, I worry about the youth of America.

[@jaidynlatoe3082]

It’s really nice seeing these grave stones still in good shape from a long time ago. It’s really upsetting to see the ones that were just left there too erode away.

[@bayamonrican]

No one cared unfortunately

[@joshuaplatko949]

There is a ceremony each year to commemorate the boys, I live in Matawan. It’s cleaned monthly, but it is very well preserved.

[@theworldbegoinup3289]

so it was in his possession

[@sofakingonmynuts1438]

After everything we go through we are left with just a few rocks with our names on them...

[@PatrickSmeaton]

I read "Close To Shore" many years ago. Interesting to see the actual creek. Great work. Enjoyed the video!

[@howardcraigiv518]

That tunnel is sketchy as hell. Awesome video…… Always putting up some of the best content. Thanks Guys Nice Lamont at Large Shout Out Another one of my favorite Channels that I enjoy tuning in

[@3october1993]

Glad you cleared up the mystery of all those dead fish. My first thought was suicide; that not even the fish wanted to live in New Jersey.

[@vjrap]

Your comment deserves wayy more likes😂😂 F NJ

[@3october1993]

@@vjrap New Jersey: The Garden State. Because petrol chemical refinery won't fit on a license plate.

[@Nicole2023]

funny comment I mover to New Jersey from California and it sucks so bad I'm miserable

[@3october1993]

@@Nicole2023 Bummer. You know why it's called the Garden State, right? Because "Petrol Chemical Refinery Crazy Traffic Circle Annoying Accent State" is too long for a license plate.

[@doug3640]

My girlfriend asked me to kiss her where it smells. So I took her to New Jersey

[@LadyovVein]

It makes me mad that somebody literally reported seeing a shark and then it takes children dying for anyone to do anything or even listen.

[@Jules-um4ir]

It was just like the bear attacks of (I’m not positive) of 1967

[@scratchoff]

in 1916 wtf were they gonna do

[@shundo8460]

“THERES A SHARK IN WATER” what the hell you want them to do? Water has sharks? Idiot

[@gretchenvono4385]

So I was told the story by a number of people who lived in matawan at the time. ( they were kids then and were quite elderly by the time they told me the story) and according to each of them (separate accounts) the person who originally saw the shark was basically “the town drunk”. That’s why nobody paid any attention to his claim of seeing a shark. Not sure if this is true, but it’s what I was told.

[@joechemo4744]

would you believe someone talking about a shark in your local creek?

[@Roy_Camacho]

Wow. Thank you for sharing this. Very informative. I remember being fascinated with this account several years ago and because of the way you presented this information again I am fascinated all over again. I'm in Pennsylvania but I was born in New Jersey. I watched the film 12 DAYS OF TERROR on DVD and it was scary to me then and still is to this day. From all appearances it most definitely is believed to have been a young great white shark. There is evidence that suggests it is fully capable of surviving in fresh water long enough to have 12 days of terror. I enjoyed watching and listening to this. Felt as if I was right there with you. I must go and visit this site.

[@pittsfieldbeast]

Very interesting and informative video, very tragic event as well. Thank you for this content and helping inform people on what happened during this tragedy.

[@mokushmasmo6009]

This was an overall phenomenal video. You visited the area while informing. Then went to the graves of the victims in a class act of respect. Essentially telling their story, even though horrific, not letting the boy's name die in vein. To be remembered once more. Cheers.

[@doylepro]

Truly agree with you on this statement. I was fascinated with this tragic events decades ago and this video is something different from the rest as it includes the emotional statement

[@CheapAngler]

This video has a tone to it that almost feels like there's a dark and sad musical score in it.

[@njbestvideo5977]

Well done. I grew up 15 minutes from Matawan Creek. In 1975 when Jaws came out the newspaper had an article about the attacks. I believe Stillwells Corner Road/named after the family? runs through Freehold and Howell.

[@The_Simstress]

You did a great job reporting on the facts and respecting the family.