Great White Shark Spotted off the Coast of La Jolla Shores

Sharks have been spotted in San Diego, so it looks like it’s time to cue the Jaws music. A great white shark, to be exact, was seen off the coast of one of the county’s most popular beaches: La Jolla Shores. This past Monday, lifeguards were patrolling the waters warning swimmers and surfers about the toothsome fish that was spotted early Sunday morning.

The shark was spotted twice, once by a kayaker around 9:30 a.m., who stated that the creature was longer than his 12-ft vessel, and once by a lifeguard around 5:00 p.m. While beachgoers virtually evacuated the water after the second Sunday sighting in the evening, Monday saw a revival of surfers, swimmers, kayakers, you name it. San Diego Lifeguard Sgt. Rich Stropky explained beachgoers apparent lack of caution to the Union-Tribune: “Everyone that I spoke with … still wanted to go into the water. People realize there was a sighting and we cohabitate with them.”

Scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography stressed the same thing: the shark sightings aren’t necessarily a cause for alarm. Nick Wegner, a marine biologist and shark expert, told NBC San Diego: “The sharks are normally found on the coast of California, sometimes we spot them,” he said. “Most of the time they’re there, we just don’t see them.”

At any rate, humans generally aren’t on the menu of things sharks like to much on—there are only about 4 to 6 fatal shark attacks worldwide per year. But, just to be on the safe side, San Diego Lifeguard Sgt. Rich Stropky advised against going out in the water alone, in areas that have high numbers of seals, or in the early morning and evening hours, when sharks feed.

Photo from hermanusbackpackers via flickr