Swim at your own risk... Millions of tourists visit North Carolina beaches each year, but advertisements promoting fun in the sun along idyllic shores forget to mention the dangers lurking under the waves. The Old North State is home to some very large and lethal sharks--bull sharks, tiger sharks, oceanic whitetips and great whites. Large sharks used to be prolific along the coast, especially in the waters of Carteret County, where some brutal, fatal attacks have happened. Offshore, mariners dreaded the infamous Graveyard of the Atlantic, knowing their chances of meeting a gruesome end were high in those shark-haunted waters. As shark populations rebound in waters where humans congregate, local author John Hairr tells forgotten tales of historic clashes between these two apex predators.

John Hairr is an award-winning writer and geo-historian who explores the world investigating the planet's natural wonders and historical mysteries. He has written extensively about the natural history of the southeastern United States, especially his home state of North Carolina, with works covering a wide range of maritime topics such as sharks, shipwrecks and extinct wildlife.