The Delaware Department of Natural Resources closed Herring Point to surfing and swimming Thursday afternoon until further notice following a possible shark bite reported shortly before 1 p.m.
Beachgoers are also restricted to knee-deep waters around the Cape Henlopen bathhouse.
A 12-year-old boy surfing off Herring Point sustained puncture wounds to one of his legs and was transported by ambulance to Beebe Hospital in Lewes. While initially reported as a shark bite, the appearance of the bite mark is being reviewed by state and fisheries experts to determine if it was from a shark or another creature.
DNREC Natural Resource Police Park Rangers and lifeguards are patrolling the beach area to warn surfers and other beachgoers to stay in shallow water.
Shark attacks are rare. The only known shark bite at a Delaware State Park beach occurred in June 2014.
