You’re standing in knee-deep water at Nauset Beach in Cape Cod, or maybe you're paddling out at San Clemente in California. The sun is out. The water is crisp. Then, you see the purple flag or hear the siren. Everyone starts moving toward the sand. It’s not a drill; there’s a great white shark near tourist beaches again. It feels like this is happening more often, right? Well, that’s because it is. But the reason isn't that they’ve suddenly developed a taste for people. It’s actually a bit more complicated—and ironically, it's a sign that the ocean is getting healthier.
For decades, seeing a white shark was a rare, "Jaws"-style event that made national headlines. Now, it’s a Tuesday in August.
We’ve spent years protecting these animals and their food sources. Now, we're living with the results of that success. It's a weird paradox. We want a thriving ecosystem, but we also want to swim without worrying about a 1,500-pound predator patrolling the surf zone. Understanding why they are here, what they are actually doing, and how the risk is managed is the only way to coexist without the constant "summer of the shark" panic.
Why the "Shallows" are the New Norm
The biggest misconception is that a shark near the shore is "lost" or "hunting humans." Honestly, they are there because that's where the buffet is. In the Atlantic, specifically around Massachusetts and New England, the explosion of the gray seal population is the primary driver. Thanks to the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, seals have reclaimed their historical haul-outs on beaches like Monomoy Island. The sharks followed.
They aren't out in the deep blue. They are in five feet of water.
Research from the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy and Dr. Greg Skomal has shown that these sharks spend a staggering amount of time in shallow water. We’re talking depths where a grown man can stand up. They use the "trough"—that deeper channel of water between the beach and the sandbar—as a highway. It’s a tactical choice. It allows them to ambush seals coming off the sand. If you’re a surfer or a swimmer, you’re basically hanging out in their dining room.
In California, the vibe is a bit different but the proximity is the same. Places like Santa Barbara and "Shark Cafe" regions see a lot of juveniles. These "small" sharks (still 8 to 10 feet long) love the warm, shallow water. They eat rays and small fish. They are essentially the teenagers of the shark world, hanging out in the surf because it’s easy and safe for them.
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Technology is Changing How We See Them
You've probably seen the drone footage. It's everywhere on TikTok and Instagram. A drone pilot like Carlos Gauna (The Malibu Artist) films a massive great white shark near tourist beaches, often just yards away from oblivious longboarders.
This isn't necessarily a new behavior. It’s new visibility.
Before drones were cheap and high-res, we simply didn't know they were there. A shark could swim under a dozen surfboards and, unless it broke the surface, no one was the wiser. Now, the overhead perspective reveals a startling truth: they encounter us constantly and choose to ignore us. If they wanted to eat people, the casualty count would be in the thousands every summer. Instead, it’s a handful of tragic, mistaken-identity bites globally.
Drones have become a primary safety tool. At beaches in New South Wales, Australia, and increasingly in Southern California, lifeguards use them to spot shadows before they get too close to the flags. It’s more effective than a tower and cheaper than a helicopter.
The Reality of the Risk
Let’s talk numbers because the fear often outweighs the math.
According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) at the University of Florida, the chances of being bitten are about 1 in 3.7 million. You are more likely to be injured by a rogue beach umbrella or a lightning strike while running for cover. But stats don't calm the heart rate when you see a dorsal fin.
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The risk is highly localized. If you are swimming in a known seal colony area during peak hunting season (late summer and fall), your risk isn't 1 in 3 million anymore. It's much higher. This is where "Shark Smart" programs come in. Expert organizations like the California State University Long Beach Shark Lab, led by Dr. Chris Lowe, emphasize that education is better than culling.
Culling—the practice of killing sharks to "protect" beaches—is largely viewed by the scientific community as a failure. It doesn't work. New sharks just move into the vacant territory. Instead, we use:
- Acoustic Tags: Scientists catch and tag sharks with transmitters.
- Receiver Buoys: When a tagged shark swims within 500 yards of a beach, the buoy pings.
- Real-time Alerts: Apps like SharkSmart or the Sharktivity app send a push notification to your phone the second a shark is detected.
Misconceptions That Just Won't Die
People think sharks are mindless killing machines. They aren't. They are actually quite cautious. A great white approaching a person is usually "investigating." Since they don't have hands, they use their mouths to feel. This is why many bites are "hit and run" rather than consumption. It's a horrific experience for the human, but it's rarely an attempt to eat.
Another myth: "If there are dolphins, there are no sharks."
This is flat-out wrong.
Dolphins and sharks often hunt the same schools of fish. In fact, large great whites have been known to eat small dolphins. If you see a lot of activity in the water—birds diving, dolphins jumping, fish leaping—it means there is a food chain in action. You don't want to be the slowest thing in that chain.
Also, the "bleeding" thing is exaggerated. While sharks have an incredible sense of smell, a tiny cut on your finger isn't going to draw a white shark from miles away like a magnet. They are much more tuned into the low-frequency vibrations of a splashing swimmer or the silhouette of a surfboard that looks like a pinniped (seal or sea lion).
What to Actually Do If You See a Shark
If you find yourself in the water with a great white shark near tourist beaches, the advice has changed over the years.
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- Don't thrash. Splashing looks like a wounded animal. It triggers the predatory drive.
- Maintain eye contact. Sharks are ambush predators. They want the element of surprise. If you track them and keep your board or body facing them, you become a "difficult" target.
- Move slowly toward safety. Don't sprint. Back away while keeping the shark in your sight.
- Stay vertical. Research suggests that being vertical in the water makes you look less like a seal (which floats horizontally).
How Tourism is Adapting
Surprisingly, the presence of sharks hasn't killed tourism in places like Cape Cod. It’s actually created a new kind of "ecotourism." People go to the beach specifically hoping to see a shark from the safety of the shore. Shark-themed merchandise is a multi-million dollar industry in Chatham.
Towns are investing in "bleed kits" on beach access points—stations equipped with tourniquets and QuikClot. It sounds macabre, but it’s practical. It’s like having a defibrillator at a gym. It saves lives in those rare instances where a bite occurs.
Lifeguards are also being trained in advanced trauma care. The focus has shifted from "preventing the shark" to "surviving the encounter." It’s a pragmatic admission that we cannot control the ocean.
Actionable Safety Steps for Your Next Trip
If you're heading to a beach known for shark activity, you don't have to stay on the sand, but you should be smart about how you enter the water.
- Check the Apps First: Download Sharktivity (for the East Coast) or check the Shark Lab social media feeds for the West Coast. If there’s been a sighting in the last 2 hours, maybe stay in the shallows.
- Avoid Dawn and Dusk: These are low-light periods when sharks have the visual advantage. Their eyes are designed to hunt in the "grey" hours.
- Skip the Shiny Jewelry: Light reflecting off a watch or a necklace looks like the scales of a fish.
- Stay in Groups: Sharks are significantly more likely to approach a solitary individual than a group of people.
- Look for "Bait Balls": If the water is churning with small fish, or if you see seals nearby, get out. You’re standing in the middle of a hunting ground.
The presence of a great white shark near tourist beaches is a reminder that the ocean is a wild space. It isn't a swimming pool. While the "scare" factor sells newspapers, the reality is a story of biological recovery and the need for a little more respect for the creatures that were here long before we showed up with our beach umbrellas and sunscreen. Stay informed, watch the flags, and keep your eyes on the horizon.