It very much sounds like a scary scene from a movie — swimming carefree just off the coast, totally unaware that a great predator is lurking beneath the surface.
Well, what would be a horror story for some was a nerve-jangling reality for a group of unsuspecting surfers paddling in the waters of Southern California.
Amazing Video Footage
Remarkable video footage captured by a drone above the warm waters of Southern California reveals a somewhat awe-inspiring sight.
The footage shows great white sharks majestically swimming close to the shoreline, alongside a group of surfers who go about their activities, seemingly unbothered or unaware of the presence of the sharks despite them being so close, one surfer even touches a shark.
More and More Sharks Arrive
Moving south, the footage reveals an ever greater number of great white sharks clearly visible through the pristine green waters.
Amazingly, the surfers continue on completely unaffected by the presence of the sharks. It’s possible that they simply have no idea they were there, though that’s difficult to believe, given the water visibility.
Sunset Beach
The footage was shot near Sunset Beach, an ever-popular surf spot that attracts visitors from all around the world.
The area is no stranger to shark activity and has, at times, needed to be closed when aggressive shark behavior has been observed, such as the time a group of sharks began eating a juvenile whale just offshore.
Why So Many Sharks?
One part of what is so striking about the footage is the sheer number of sharks that appear to be in the same area as the surfers.
There are a number of factors that could account for this increased number of sharks, such as migration patterns of the sharks and, potentially, the availability of prey in the area.
Diversity of Sharks
Looking a the video, it looks like there is a variety of sharks of different sizes among the group.
Some appear to be particularly small, possibly juveniles, while others are clearly fully grown adults of up to 10 feet in length. This is good evidence of a healthy shark ecosystem that effectively supports the growth and development of shark populations.
Excellent Water Visibility
The sharks are so striking in the video in part due to the remarkable water visibility, a stark contrast to the murky waters sharks usually lurk in.
One reason we’re able to get such a good look at the creatures in this video might be because of how warm the water in the area is. Warmer waters increase the amount of light that can penetrate the water, allowing greater visibility and, in this case, a perfect view of the sharks.
Why Don’t the Surfers React?
If we can see the sharks in the video, it would be reasonable to assume the surfers can, too. Surely, they’re not simply unaware that these marine predators are mere feet away?
It’s far more likely that the surfers are simply used to the presence of sharks. It’s far from uncommon to find great white sharks in the waters of Southern California.
Unusually Placid Sharks
The lazily swimming sharks shown in this video seem to contrast with the picture sometimes painted in the media of ferocious apex predators.
The truth is, sharks probably aren’t nearly as much of a threat to those in the water as we might think from media coverage, which can sometimes sensationalize rare attacks. When, in reality, sharks mostly leave swimmers alone.
Harmony
Realistically, swimmers, surfers, and sharks can all coexist in the water without incident, as this remarkable video footage quite clearly demonstrates.
In this video, it seems like the sharks really have no interest in the surfers. They weren’t intentionally seeking them out, but instead seemed to be swimming along the shoreline, perhaps a little curious about the presence of the humans, at most.
Caution Still Necessary
Obviously, it’s still necessary to exercise caution and take proper safety measures if entering shark-infested waters. We are very much at a disadvantage in the water, and totally in the sharks’ world.
Reduced water visibility can make it harder for humans to see sharks, while sharks will have no problem knowing we’re there. We also lose much of our ability to detect sound underwater, again severely limiting our perception.
Surfing Alongside Sharks
At first glance, the video footage seems terrifying. The thought of being in the water that close to so many sharks is a humbling one, to say the least.
Many probably watch the video waiting for disaster to strike, but it instead highlights how we are simply a part of nature and we can happily coexist with other species, even when we’re out of our element.
