This 20ft Great White Shark Calmly Swims Under A Boat in Cape Cod Bay

Written by Katie Melynn Wood
Updated: October 19, 2023
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Just try to stay calm when you spot an ominous shark fin rising out of the water. Fortunately, this boat of people had the presence of mind to start recording the amazing encounter while keeping calm as the shark swam under their boat.

Check Out This Incredible Great White Footage Below!

Great White Shark calmly cruises past a boat.

The video begins like many others, looking out at a tranquil expanse of water. There is one crucial difference, however. The footage clearly shows a shark fin extended above the surface. It dips back below the water as the video gets closer.

The person behind the camera gasps as they realize what they are seeing. “No way!” she exclaims. Rather than get too excited, however, she pans in closer to show the shark’s massive body. It doesn’t seem to be bothered by the paparazzi or even pay much attention at all to the people or boat overhead.

A great white shark in the middle of dark blue water

Great White Sharks

have a distinctive snout in addition to being very large.

©Willyam Bradberry/Shutterstock.com

The footage shows the shark’s gills and profile. Great White Sharks have a distinctive snout in addition to being very large. They can be between 14 and 18 feet long and weigh over 5,000 pounds. The shark in this video can definitely hold his own in the ocean. Great White Sharks are the largest predatory shark in the world and they eat fish, seals and sea lions, dolphins and porpoises, whales, and even other sharks.

Sharks in Cape Cod

This video was taken in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts. Great White Sharks like coastal, shallow waters like these because they are a good place for them to find food. Sharks are a common sighting in Cape Cod Bay.

Why do Great Whites like Cape Cod in particular? Because it is home to a lot of seals. The area’s waters support a population of around 50,000 seals. That’s a lot of snacking for a hungry shark! These efficient hunters are drawn to the area because it provides so much food. Think of it like the refrigerator of the ocean for Great White Sharks.

tagged great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, swimming in the blue waters of the Neptune Islands, South Australia

Great white sharks like the waters of Cape Cod Bay due to their abundance of seals.

©Alessandro De Maddalena/Shutterstock.com

They are more common during the warmer months, with sightings happening with some regularity between May and November. They can still be seen throughout the year, however. Sightings do not always mean attacks, as this video shows. Most of the time, sharks are happy to leave people alone and focus on their favorite food, seals. It is still wise to avoid areas where sharks have been spotted. Of course, if you do see a shark, remember to stay calm and give it some space just like these people did in this footage.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Willyam Bradberry/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Katie is a freelance writer and teaching artist specializing in home, lifestyle, and family topics. Her work has appeared in At Ease Magazine, PEOPLE, and The Spruce, among others. When she is not writing, Katie teaches creative writing with the Apex Arts Magnet Program in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. You can follow Katie @katiemelynnwriter.

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