A Massachusetts couple had an incredible encounter with six sharks while on their boat.
Perry and Carmel Long were setting lobster traps from their boat off the coast of Westport when they spotted the sharks on June 9.
The couple captured a video showing a close-up of one of the sharks that Carmel assumed was a whale.
‘That’s a 20-foot great white shark coming toward us. It’s coming toward me,’ Perry said.
The huge fish surrounding the boat were actually basking sharks.
Perry and Carmel Long spotted six basking sharks while setting lobster traps from their boat off the coast of Westport on June 9.
The couple captured a video showing a close-up of one of the sharks that a frightened Carmel assumed was a whale.
Carmel looked scared when they saw the first basking shark swim past their 18-foot boat.
He calmed down when he thought it was a whale, but became alarmed when he realized it was a shark.
“My God, that is an amazing shark. I’ve never seen a shark like that,” Carmel said.
Perry spotted the second shark while a dazed Carmel was still recording the video.
He also saw the face of one of the sharks and stated that its mouth was “wide open.”
The six sharks did not cause serious damage and after the group of fish circled the boat 10 times, they swam away.
Carmel took video of the encounter despite appearing nervous about the presence of the sharks. According to Perry, the sharks were “very calm”
“They looked exactly like a great white shark, except they were much more friendly and docile. They seemed to just be hanging out,” he said. WJAR.
He added that the sharks were “very calm” and appeared to be eating “shrimp or plankton.”
Once they swam away, Perry and Carmel returned to the harbor, but not before seeing two more sharks.
Perry and Carmel didn’t manage to catch any lobsters that day, but they hope to have another shark encounter in the future.
“I hope we get to see more of them. It was a wonderful encounter. It was something that took your breath away,” Perry said.
The sharks circled the boat 10 times and finally swam away. The Longs didn’t catch any lobsters that day.
This sighting occurred two years after Westport beaches were closed after a lifeguard spotted a shark.
This incredible sighting occurred two years after Westport beaches were closed after a lifeguard spotted a shark.
“When we walked in there was a shark flag up and I thought someone was joking,” said beachgoer Eric Thorgerson. CBS News At the time.
Sharks are starting to appear more in Massachusetts and experts were shocked to hear that a fishing boat discovered a dead minke whale floating near Chatham with shark bites.
The first great white shark of the season in Cape Cod was detected less than a month later.
However, according to mass.govOnly 57 basking sharks have been tagged off the coast of Massachusetts.
