When a picture surfaced late last week of what appeared to be a giant shark stalking an innocent kayaker paddling in the waters off Cape Cod, Mass., the sighting set off a Jaws-like frenzy up and down the Northeast coast.
The July 7 image of the large dorsal fin, slicing through the water after the kayaker, gained widespread attention and caused many to speculate whether the shark was in fact the famed Great White featured in Peter Benchley's novel "Jaws" and Steven Spielberg's 1975 classic film of the same name.
But unlike the popular story line, the kayaker was able to paddle to safety and experts ended up ruling the shark was in fact a harmless basking shark, a fish more known for filtering plankton than devouring meat,
Days later, on July 9, at Wallis Sands beach in Rye, a man reportedly ran from the water shouting, telling lifeguards he saw two sharks that were each about 6 feet long. A lifeguard reportedly said he also saw something suspicious in the water.
The unconfirmed sighting of the shark-like shadows close to shore at the local beach made similar waves, prompting lifeguards to clear the water and officials to close a nearby state beach.
Not long after the sighting, Tony LaCasse, media relations director at New England Aquarium, speculated the unknown species of sharks allegedly plying local waters was likely a singular shark casting a shadow. LaCasse said if in fact the sighting was a shark, it was most likely a harmless and very common, blue shark.
No other sightings have been reported since, but beachgoers have remained on high alert and some businesses have reported losing customers as a result.
LaCasse, who has spent the past 11 years with the aquarium, said it is not uncommon for shark sightings in New England waters to spawn fear in beachgoers and prompt false sightings.
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