(WJAR) — A new video from the Atlantic Shark Institute captures an 8-foot great white shark swimming just miles off Block Island.
In the salt water, miles off Block Island, lives a variety of sea creatures, including great white sharks.
“We’ve tagged over 50 here at the Atlantic Shark Institute,” Atlantic Shark Institute Executive Director Jon Dodd said.
The video, taken on June 25, shows a juvenile 8-foot-long great white shark swimming just five miles off the coast of Block Island.
The Atlantic Shark Institute shared a rare underwater video of a great white shark off Block Island last week. (Atlantic Shark Institute)
“It’s not too common to have that type of shark come right up and get that real close up,” Dodd said.
Earlier in the week, the Atlantic Shark Institute was notified of a floating whale carcass.
“As soon as these whales die, they have a tendency to attract a lot of, a lot of sharks,” Dodd said.
A few days later, a video caught a great white feasting on the 42-foot-long whale carcass.
“There are dozens and dozens of bites all over that whale from sharks,” Dodd said.
Dodd said he had to see it for himself and set out to find it with a team member.
“We were both anxious to try to find it,” he said.
After hours of searching over 50 square miles of the ocean, they found not only the whale carcass, but also an eight-foot-long great white.
“It kept circling the whale, and it would go underneath,” Dodd said.
Dodd then took out his camera and captured the perfect shot.
The Atlantic Shark Institute shared a rare underwater video of a great white shark off Block Island last week. (Atlantic Shark Institute)
“Lo and behold, you know, it had to come right up to the camera and take a look. And it was very inquisitive,” he said.
Dodd said getting a video like this is a big deal.
“As far as we know, this is the first time anyone’s taken a video, pictures of a white shark in Rhode Island waters,” he said.
Three days later, the whale washed up on Crescent Beach on Block Island, which Dodd said is rare.
He also said residents do not need to worry about sharks.
“Shark incidences are super rare worldwide,” he said, “and there’s never been a fatality in Rhode Island.”
To be safe at the beach, Dodd said “don’t swim at dawn, don’t swim at dusk. Swim in groups. Don’t go over your head. Don’t wear shiny jewelry.”