Local News

Here are yesterday’s Cape Cod shark sightings and beach closures, according to Sharktivity

In just over a 24-hour span between 1:42 p.m. on Saturday and 2:52 p.m. on Sunday, there were 12 reported sightings on the app.

By Madeleine Aitken

July 18, 2022

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This weekend, there were 12 shark sightings off the coast of Cape Cod on the Sharktivity app. 

Beach-adjacent shark activity, often nicknamed “sharktivity,” is increasing in the Northeastern U.S. due to a rising seal population and conservation efforts. Cape Cod has long been known as a hotspot for sharks on the East Coast, and July is prime time for great whites to arrive. 

Sharktivity, run by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, shows users the locations of white shark sightings to raise awareness of white sharks and promote the safety of citizens. In just over a 24-hour span between 1:42 p.m. on Saturday and 2:52 p.m. on Sunday, there were 12 reported sightings on the app. Some of the sharks were just 50 or 100 yards offshore. 

In addition to sightings, the app tracks “detections,” which occur when tagged sharks swim by buoys. This happened several times over the weekend as well, with a total of 16 separate sharks being spotted at four buoys between Friday and Monday.

The Twitter account MA Sharks tweeted throughout the weekend about beach closures due to Sharktivity sightings and detections.

“SHARK ALERT !! Due to white shark sighting the water will be closed to swimming at Nauset Public Beach until 11:00 a.m.,” John Chisholm, local shark expert and the owner of the Twitter account, posted on Sunday at 10:10 a.m. 

Newcomb Hollow and LeCount Hollow were also closed at points during the weekend. 

In a post Saturday, Chisholm shared a submitted video of a shark taken off Harpswell, Maine on Friday. He urged followers in the case of a sighting to be a “#citizenscientist” and submit sightings on the Sharktivity app.