Hidden Beach Aptos: Great white shark caught on camera dangerously close to shore in Santa Cruz County
APTOS, California – A great white shark was spotted swimming dangerously close to shore in Northern California.
The shark was captured on drone video swimming just meters from Hidden Beach in Aptos.
Eric Mailander recorded the impressive video from his boat on Thursday afternoon.
“A lot of people come up to me – oh wow, how close do sharks get to shore? And this video speaks for itself, it speaks volumes,” said Mailander.
Mailander said a dead gray whale calf was reported Monday off Sea Cliff and was three-quarters of a mile south of Hidden Beach.
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“You have to be aware that the whale is decomposing and sending a lot of smell into the water, a lot of oil. And the waves, tides and currents spread that smell,” said Mailander.
It wasn’t a surprise for Milander to find so many sharks in the surf.
David Ebert, the program director for the Pacific Shark Research Center off Moss Landing, said it’s far more common for them to be right under the surf.
Ebert said there have been many young great white sharks in the Monterey area during the summer and fall for the past eight years.
“And I’m going to fly from Watsonville in special helicopters to look at them and I’m going to count 40 sharks around the concrete boat. “During the day there are people in the water splashing around, you see children, parents sitting on the beach and have no idea there are 40 great white sharks right behind them,” Ebert said.
The latest sighting is worrying for local residents.
Michael O’valle said he goes into the water almost every day.
“Going swimming is definitely not an option for me right now,” O’valle said.
Shira Smith heard about the shark sighting in the neighborhood.
“I find it fascinating how the entire circle of life and nature takes care of itself, but also frightening,” Smith said.
Ebert said on average there are three to four attacks per year.
“I try to tell people that the sharks aren’t looking for people, they don’t hunt people,” Ebert said.
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Ebert said great white sharks are about 1.5 to 1.8 meters long when they are born.
“Up to a depth of about 10 feet, they feed primarily on fish and other sharks, but when they reach a depth of about 10-12 feet, they begin to switch to marine mammals,” Ebert said.
Great white sharks swim off our coast from May to December.
Eric Mailander works for the fire department, but the sea is a place where he relaxes. And he has long been a shark advocate.
“I’m just trying to set the record straight and show people that they are wild animals, that they are beautiful and that we are very lucky to have them in our own backyard,” Mailander said.
Ebert grew up in the Monterey area and has been researching sharks for about 40 years.
“Most people grow up in this area and don’t see a great white shark in their entire lives, but when you’re in a boat or in a safe place and you see one – you enjoy the moment. When you’re in the water.” “Just as calm as you can be out of the water,” said Ebert.
