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A great white shark just shut a stretch of Huntington Beach. Here's why you shouldn't worry
This is a file photo of a Great White shark, and you have a better chance of seeing one in an aquarium than in the wild.
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Dave J. Hogan
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Getty Images
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Huntington Beach temporarily shut down a stretch of shoreline this week after a witness reported seeing a great white shark "jumping out of the water" and "thrashing about."
But authorities were never able to confirm the report and beach access was back to normal Friday.
So what happened?
Jennifer Carey, the deputy city manager for Huntington Beach, said the closure was a precaution. Marine safety units searched the area using wave runners and even a helicopter. Officials never saw any sign of the shark, which was reported to be about 6 or 7 feet long.
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"They weren’t able to locate the shark," Carey said. "However, the witness statement was deemed to be credible."
The sighting took place early Wednesday, and the city shut down the beach a mile in each direction for 24 hours.
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So... is it safe to go back into the water?
Absolutely. Or, should we say, as safe as it usually is!
According to the International Shark Attack File of the Florida Museum, the likelihood of a shark attack is 1 in over 11.5 million.
In other words ... just go enjoy the beach.
And if you need more convincing, here's a 2023 story LAist did with Chris Lowe, director of the famed Shark Lab and professor of marine biology at Cal State Long Beach. Lowe offers a reality check about the dangers that great white sharks really pose to swimmers, surfers and bathers.
"We really want people to understand that just because a white shark's out there and it may be near you, it’s not going to bite you," he told us.
How would I know about what's going on down at the beach?
So glad you asked. Carey suggests using the website SafeBeachDay.com as your tipsheet as you head out to Huntington Beach. (The site also includes info on other Orange and Los Angeles county beaches, too.)
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Carey said you can check the site for up-to-date warnings and cautions, from rip tides and sting ray alerts, to, yes, shark sightings. Your best bet to staying safe, she said, is to always set up a spot on the sand near one of Huntington Beach’s lifeguard towers.
"The lifeguards," she said, "are always happy to speak to anyone with questions or concerns.”
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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