Every summer we pay two or three visits to Nauset Beach in Orleans. Being on the ocean side, the waves are bigger, the water is colder, and the sand is perfect for sandcastles. It remains one of our kids’ favorite beaches.
A now familiar “Shark Warning” flag greets you as you walk from the parking lot and cross the dunes to get down to the water. It’s a good reminder that we are but guests to the ocean, and its storied apex predator can be found in these waters.
A purple Shark Warning flag flies at Nauset Beach in Orleans, MA. It’s a reminder to beachgoers that sharks may be present.
So while it’s a cautionary signal, the flag also speaks of the potential for something rare to happen. Any trip to Nauset Beach always has me hoping to spot a shark’s dorsal fin slicing through the water. It’s very common to see a seal bobbing its head up and down as it cruises along the shoreline, but I’ve never seen a visual sign that a shark is present.
Until this summer.
Shark Spotted!
We were having a great visit to the beach on a warm, sunny day in July. My kids and wife were braver than me, wading into water that was much too cold for my liking. It seemed to be just another day at the beach, but things got interesting quickly. A small plane appeared circling overhead, and a white boat was puttering around several hundred yards offshore. I didn’t think too much of it at first. There are often fishing boats and even small planes in the area.
Then, suddenly and in unison, all the lifeguards sprung down from their perches and blew their whistles. Everyone was to get out of the water!
That boat and plane were tracking a great white shark, and it had gotten too close to the beach. Never had I ever been so excited to be at the beach.
Chief Brody spots a shark fin in the 1975 move, JAWS.
People arose from their beach chairs and crowded towards the shore to watch the boat slowly zig back and forth, keeping tabs on the shark. Red flags quickly went up on all the lifeguard stands, signaling no one was allowed back in the water.
I’m sure some beachgoers were disappointed with the inconvenience suddenly caused by the shark, but I was thrilled at what had just transpired. Although we never saw a fin breach the water, never before had I knowingly been so close to one of these majestic animals. Out there in the water before us, affirmed by the presence of the boat and search plane, was a great white shark.
A white boat and a spotter plane (out of frame) tracks a great white shark off the shore at Nauset Beach in Orleans, MA.
As a lifelong JAWS fan, this brief moment became an instant highlight of my summer.
Close, but Not Close Enough?
But let’s say you really want to see a living great white shark. It’s certainly jumped up my bucket list after this summer. How could one do that on Cape Cod? It turns out there are now several companies that offer shark tours during the summer and early fall.
Check out our list of Shark Tour charters.
Where to Learn More About White Sharks
The Atlantic White Shark Conservatory now has two Shark Centers on Cape Cod – one in Chatham and second location on the pier in Provincetown.
Read our appreciation of the AWSC and how the two centers compare.
