Huntington Beach officials closed the water from Seapoint Street to the pier Tuesday after a foilboard surfer reported a 10- to 12-foot great white shark circling about 300 feet offshore near Lifeguard Tower 16 around 3 p.m. The surfer was not injured, and Marine Safety Battalion Chief Derek Peters called the witness a "credible source."
Although crews searched by drone, jet ski, rescue boat and beach patrol, they could not independently verify the sighting. The closure is expected to last through 3 p.m. Wednesday, with additional patrols planned before reopening; beachgoers may remain on the sand but are advised to stay out of the water.
Cal State Long Beach Shark Lab Director Chris Lowe said the animal was likely an adult hunting elephant seals. He noted that juvenile white sharks, typically 5 to 10 feet long, have been abundant in Southern California recently because ocean temperatures between 67 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit are "just right," while warmer waters off Baja, Mexico, have pushed them north.
Lowe added that sharks are frequently near people in the ocean without being noticed. His researchers planned to deploy drones and tracking equipment Wednesday to confirm the sighting. Peters said the area typically sees more sharks in fall and spring due to migratory patterns, and experts have linked this year's surge in sightings to El Niño conditions.
This marks Huntington Beach's second shark-related water closure of the year; a sighting near the pier prompted a 24-hour closure in the spring.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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