Catch of a shark said to measure 20 feet offered glaring proof that the legendary apex predators inhabit the region.
–Editor’s note: This post looks back to 2012, when the accompanying image was captured on a Mexican beach, at a time when it was not widely known that adult great white sharks inhabited the Sea of Cortez.
Thirteen years ago, an enormous great white shark sprawled on a beach near Guaymas, Mexico, on the mainland side of the Sea of Cortez, quickly became a spectacle.
Commercial fishermen Guadalupe and Baltazar (no last names provided) hauled the giant shark up in a net and towed it two miles to shore behind their 22-foot boat.
The graphic image tells the story of a town captivated by the rare sight of an apex predator said to measure 20 feet.
Guadalupe was quoted as saying, “We were amazed and immediately realized that we had a huge, dead great white shark, and then we thought, ‘What are we gonna do?’ ”
The catch saddened conservationists and surprised many who were not aware that upper regions of the Sea of Cortez were utilized by such large white sharks.
It’s now known that adult great white sharks seasonally migrate into the Sea of Cortez to give birth.
If you’d like to observe great white sharks but do not want to board a boat, Torrey Pines State Beach in San Diego is just the spot.
Last November, a state beach in San Diego boasted that great white sharks had gathered beyond its shore and provided spotting tips for visitors.
The announcement put Torrey Pines State Beach on the map as a destination known for juvenile white sharks as well as magnificent trails and sweeping ocean views.
Then winter arrived, some sharks left for warmer water, and the hype ended. But I can attest that there are still plenty of white sharks, perhaps dozens, hanging out at Torrey Pines.
I’ve visited the park four times in the past two weeks and saw sharks during each visit. During my most recent visit last Wednesday, I spotted multiple sharks during an hourlong period, including four sharks at once.
Two days earlier, I saw a large juvenile shark, perhaps 9 feet, probing in the sand in green water less than 30 yards from shore.
It could be argued that at present, because trails at Torrey Pines provide a bird’s-eye view, there is no better location for observing white sharks from shore.
The aggregation site spans from Del Mar to about Black’s Beach just south of Torrey Pines. Juvenile white sharks, measuring 5 to 10 feet, utilize the area as a nursery. They feed mostly on rays and other bottom fish.
Chris Lowe, who runs the Shark Lab at California State University Long Beach, told FTW Outdoors that in recent weeks 27 tagged sharks have remained in this area “day in, day out.”
Not all of the sharks are tagged and some come and go, so it’s difficult to estimate the number of sharks off Del Mar/Torrey Pines. But Lowe said it could be as many as 40.
Juvenile white shark aggregation sites, which can be established anywhere along the coast, are temporary so it’s unclear how long the sharks will remain off Torrey Pines.
Those who wish to observe them should plan their hikes to overlooks during morning hours with the sun at their backs.
Calm, sunny mornings during a high or incoming tide are best, and polarized sunglasses are a must unless conditions are perfect.
There are no guarantees, but if conditions are right and visitors spend enough time looking, they have a solid chance of seeing a shark or two. (I’ve seen them swimming as close as 30 yards from shore.)
Since juvenile white sharks feed on fish instead of the seals and sea lions preferred by much larger adult white sharks, they do not pose a significant threat to swimmers and surfers.
However, last Nov. 4 a woman was bitten by a presumed white shark while swimming 200 yards offshore in Del Mar. She was hospitalized and treated for puncture wounds to her right thigh.
Note: White sharks are protected in California. Anyone caught targeting white sharks while fishing at Torrey Pines State Beach will be cited.
The cloud whale – obviously a sperm whale, one observer noted – was photographed by researcher Alisa Schulman-Janiger five years ago and shared in July as a Facebook memory.
Reads one of the comments: “Gifted to you by the sky spirits who appreciate your work for the great citizens of the seas.”
–Top image courtesy of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy
Great white sharks have become a tourist attraction at Torrey Pines State Beach north of San Diego.
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and State Beach is known for its sweeping views of the Pacific. Migrating whales are sometimes spotted in the distance.
But these days great white sharks are the premier attraction for some hikers at the reserve near San Diego. Dozens of juvenile white sharks have spent the summer and early fall off Torrey Pines and Del Mar, just to the north.
The sharks have been feeding on stingrays and other bottom fishes, keeping a fairly low profile until recently.
Anglers began to hook them and on Oct. 30 the carcass of an 8-foot white shark was discovered on the shore at Torrey Pines. The shark died as a result of fishing activity. (White sharks are protected and targeting them while fishing is illegal.)
On Nov. 4, a distance swimmer was bitten by a shark off Del Mar and hospitalized. Lyn Jutronich told NBC San Diego that the shark shook briefly before releasing its grip. Jutronich was hospitalized and treated for puncture wounds to her right thigh.
The type of shark was not confirmed, but it was presumed to be a juvenile white shark.
On Nov. 6, the Torrey Pines reserve posted a Facebook image of a white shark in a wave. The image was captured via cellphone from the bluff at Yucca Point.
The Facebook post advertised the presence of sharks and listed spots from which they might be seen: Yucca Point, Razor Point and the Guy Fleming overlooks.
(Personal note: I observed at least four white sharks two weeks ago from the Guy Fleming North Grove trail. There was a field trip in progress and several children also saw the sharks.)
“For best results, plan your trip before 11 a.m. and during high tide,” the Torrey Pines reserve advised. “Sunglasses with polarized lenses and binoculars both also help.”
To be sure, the temporary white shark aggregation site at Torrey Pines is substantial.
Chris Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at California State University Long Beach, told FTW Outdoors that several white sharks tagged off Southern California in recent years are in the area.
“We’ve detected 31 tagged juvenile white sharks (in the last month) out the 62 tagged at Solana Beach, Del Mar and Torrey Pines over the last three years,” Lowe said. “We’ve seen up to 12 sharks in a single drone video frame at Torrey Pines in the last few months.
“This is now the largest aggregation since the Santa Barbara aggregation has broken down.”
It’s not clear how long the sharks will remain in the area.
–Top image courtesy of Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and State Beach
Beachgoers in Provincetown, Mass., watched in awe Wednesday as a great white shark ambushed a seal just beyond the shore.
Beachgoers in Provincetown, Mass., watched in awe Wednesday as a great white shark ambushed a seal just beyond the shore.
The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy shared the footage to Facebook, crediting Matt and Shannon Scully, explaining that the “predation” occurred at 1 p.m. off Race Point Beach.
The shark appears to have been spotted before it launched its surface attack, creating a giant foamy splash. In the footage a woman asks, “Did you guys see it?” just before the eruption, which inspires more commentary.
White sharks prey on gray seals during the summer and early fall off Cape Cod, and one person observed in the comments section that nobody was swimming at the time of Wednesday’s attack:
“People are getting smarter, as you notice, nobody in their right mind would swim in the waters on the outer Cape!”
Reads another comment: “That water drops off deep. You are neck deep in five steps. It’s ‘Jaws’ paradise.”
Scientists make the most of the white shark feeding season by tagging sharks, usually from July into early November, to learn more about their habits and movements.
–Image and video courtesy of Matt and Shannon Scully
