Local News

There were 14 Cape Cod and Vineyard shark sightings Tuesday, with one close to shore

The Martha’s Vineyard sighting was the closest to shore reported on Sharktivity in at least two weeks.

By Madeleine Aitken

August 3, 2022

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Email
• 7

Between 9:55 a.m. and 2:18 p.m. on Tuesday, there were 14 great white shark sightings in the Cape Cod area, including one off Martha’s Vineyard.

The Martha’s Vineyard sighting was just 5-10 yards from the shore — the closest sighting reported on Sharktivity in at least two weeks. South Beach in Edgartown was closed for two hours after lifeguards spotted the shark that close at 11:14 a.m.

Back on Cape Cod, most of the action took place around North Beach Island. At 9:55 a.m. a shark was seen moving south along the island, 50 yards off shore. At 10:43 a.m., a shark was seen about a quarter mile off North Beach Island, moving north. Between 1:10 and 1:58, a pilot had three sightings: one 200 yards off the island, one a few hundred yards from the shore, and one just 25 yards offshore.

Local shark expert John Chisholm, who runs the Twitter account MA Sharks, clarified to Sharktivity users that the unusual number of sightings in such a short window was due to the spotter pilot.

On the buoys, eight different sharks were detected 12 times Tuesday.