Ladies Beach, on the southern shore of Nantucket Island, Mass., received a special visitor Wednesday in the form of a large shark that appeared in the waves.
The accompanying footage shows the shark, first as a dark object, before revealing its profile and distinctive shape, prompting a stunned response (and mild profanity) from onlookers.
Shark in waves at Ladies Beach.
“That’s a shark!” two people declare, one after the other.
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The footage was captured by Colby Marsh and submitted to the Nantucket Current, which featured the video Friday.
The Current cited a local expert as ruling out great white shark in favor of sandbar shark and dusky shark “as possibilities, and it’s an area known for sandbars.”
From the Current: “Always important to remember that there has never been a documented shark attack on a swimmer or surfer in Nantucket waters (we don’t count last year’s incident when a 21-year-old man was bitten by a sandbar shark after catching it from shore and attempting to release it).”
From the Florida Museum: “Due to its preference for smaller prey and its tendency to avoid beaches and the surface, the sandbar shark poses little threat to humans. Although it has been rarely associated with attacks on humans, its size makes it potentially dangerous.”
Ladies Beach, known for tranquil setting and spectacular views, is popular among surfers and swimmers.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Shark appears in surf at tranquil Nantucket beach