DUNEDIN, Fla. — When he retired, John Yanchoris needed a hobby. He found one that brings him joy and a sense of wonder almost daily.
Most days, you can find him flying his drone from the Dunedin Causeway.
“I’ve been flying out here for about three years,” he said. “It’s a very peaceful hobby recording nature.”
The retired firefighter, who lives in Dunedin, has captured all kinds of cool shots: a sea turtle coming up for air, groups of grazing manatees, playful pods of dolphins, and a whole lot of sharks.
“When I came out here on Memorial Day, I saw at least 30 sharks,” he said. “I wasn’t that interested in sharks until I started flying.”
Normally, the ones he records are smaller species, like blacktip reef and nurse sharks. On Sunday, however, as he taught his nephew to fly the drone, the two got a surprise.
“He [flew] down, and he was like, ‘Oh my god.’ You know, and he saw the hammerhead and he started recording,” Yanchoris said.
Surrounded by a group of smaller blacktip sharks was a lone great hammerhead shark.
According to Eric Hovland, an Associate Curator at The Florida Aquarium who goes by “The Shark Guy,” great hammerheads earn the title “great” because they can grow 18-19 feet in length. They typically feed on rays, fish, and smaller sharks.
“It is the greatest. It’s the largest of all of about a little over a dozen or so global species of hammerheads,” Hovland said. “I wish I had been there. I would love to see a hammer like that from the sky! What a view!”
Hovland estimates the great hammerhead Yanchoris spotted is approaching adulthood and likely measures eight or nine feet in length.
“Still a big shark,” Hovland said.
While great hammerheads are found in waters across Tampa Bay — and across the southeast United States — they aren’t an everyday sighting.
“And that’s why I get genuinely excited and happy when I do see a great hammerhead. It’s really exciting. It’s a good sign that we are taking care of our waterways,” Hovland said.
By the way, Hovland said beach-goers should not panic.
“My only worry is that there isn’t a shark nearby because if you stick your finger in the water and it’s salty, there should be sharks,” Hovland said.
Yanchoris agreed.
“There’s very few shark attacks around here,” he said. “They’re almost unheard of.”
He thinks his video is proof that people and sharks can live — and enjoy paradise — together.
You can see more of Yanchoris’ videos by visiting his YouTube page.
