At least no one can complain that this fishing trip was boring.
A group of fathers and sons out fishing got more action than they anticipated when a great white shark leaped out of the water next to the charter boat and stole a fish off one boy’s line.
Doug Nelson and his son joined a Saturday outing on Cape Cod Bay, off the coast of Massachusetts, he told CNN.
One of the boys on board hooked what appeared to be a “good-sized fish,” Nelson said, so he grabbed his phone to capture a shot.
Incredible footage today from Doug Nelson of Franklin, MA fishing aboard the Columbia out of Rock Harbor in Orleans. @MA_Sharks pic.twitter.com/rK3yk5j6SG
— Atlantic White Shark Conservancy (@A_WhiteShark) July 20, 2019
Instead, he filmed a close encounter with the ocean’s apex predator, as a great white shark came up behind the fish the boy caught, jumped up in the air and snatched it.
The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy confirmed to CNN that the shark was a great white shark.
White Sharks Frequent Cape Cod Bay
Great white sharks make their home in Cape Cod Bay every summer. But this summer, the sheer number of them—and their proximity to humans—is confounding beachgoers.
In the span of one week at the end of June, researchers spotted 12 great white sharks near the bay.
Great White Sharks seen in #HalfMoonBay.
Multiple pilots flying over the San Mateo County coast have spotted great white sharks in the water today.If visiting the area please use caution. ⚠️
Please refer any further questions to @CAStateParks or @PillarPointHMB image:Surfline pic.twitter.com/wTeGDwYCxm
— San Mateo County S.O (@SMCSheriff) July 11, 2019
A few weeks later, a popular Cape Cod beach was forced to close after several sharks were photographed swimming close to shore, CNN affiliate WHDH reported.
White sharks in Massachusetts have enjoyed federal and state protections since 1997 and 2005, respectively. And since seals, one of the predator’s favorite meals, are defended by the Marine Mammal Protection Act and have experienced population boosts of their own, sharks in the area are thriving.
Their heightened presence has raised concern for some. A man died after a shark attack at a Cape Cod beach in September 2018, the first fatal shark attack in Massachusetts in more than 80 years.
Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet is closed to swimmers, police say, until town and beach authorities determine the water is safe. This comes after 26-year-old Arthur Medici was killed while boogie boarding here after a suspected shark attack. pic.twitter.com/iCqOY083rz
— Sonia Moghe (@soniamoghe) September 16, 2018
Still, sharks rarely attack humans, and even fewer attacks result in death, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History’s shark attack database.
The white shark has been blamed for 80 fatal unprovoked attacks, according to the database.
Most shark attacks against humans occur when the animal is confused, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. They “mouth” foreign objects to determine what they are and if they’re worthy of a meal.
Sharks can get aggressive to defend their territory from what they perceive as intruders, the encyclopedia says.
Great White ‘Pinged’ Off New Jersey
Researchers tracking a 10-foot, 800-pound shark off the eastern coast of the United States recently announced the massive creature has made its presence known off the coast of New Jersey by way of a “ping.”
The shark—a great white dubbed Miss May—”pinged in” at 2:29 a.m. on July 3, according to an update on the OCEARCH website, an ocean research organization that tracks sharks.
Today @MissMay_Shark is pinging close to shore a little north of Kitty Hawk North Carolina. She has been making steady progress north since the beginning of the month. pic.twitter.com/LFKRvFwEr1
— OCEARCH (@OCEARCH) June 28, 2019
A “ping” happens when a tagged shark’s dorsal fin breaks the surface of the water and transmits a signal, which is noted for tracking purposes, an OCEARCH representative told Pensacola News Journal.
The great white has been swimming north for over a month. Earlier on June 28, OCEARCH researchers posted an update on Twitter, featuring a map of the great white’s recent movements in eastern coastal waters.
“Today @MissMay_Shark is pinging close to shore a little north of Kitty Hawk North Carolina. She has been making steady progress north since the beginning of the month.
Epoch Times reporter Tom Ozimek contributed to this article.