The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also known as the great white, white pointer, white shark, or white death, is a species of large lamniform shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. (Photo : Facebook)
About 20 great white sharks that were mostly 10 to 18 feet long were spotted just 100 yards from the coast of Pacifica and Ocean Beach in San Francisco. The cluster was spotted by the US Coast Guard, who was performing a routine fly by.
Coast Guard pilot Lt. Beau Belanger, who reported the sighting, was simply amazed by the sight. He was flying low, about 500 feet above the water when he spotted the cluster of great whites, SF Gate reported.
"This is the first I'd heard of near-shore aggregating in such an urban area," commented Mary Jane Schramm, the spokeswoman for the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. She also said that the US Coast Guard spotted the sharks on Oct. 16, the report continued.
Also, the director of Shark Stewards, David McGuire, said that an unusual number of juvenile white sharks mostly 10 feet long have been observed this year, most of which are more likely associated with the unseasonably high water temperatures along the coast. But an 18-foot shark is a very large, mature shark that can cause considerable harm to seals or humans." Shark Stewards is a nonprofit shark conservation group, with an affiliation with the Earth Island Institute.
"I won't stop enjoying the ocean, but I might swim and surf somewhere else for a few days," McGuire said.
Surfers can check out Sharkstewards page to get updates about shark infested areas before hitting the water. Shark Stewards, on the other hand, suggested to the public to follow #Sharkwatch on Twitter to get updates as well.
