Shark Week: Here’s the Latest Shark Sightings In Massachusetts
It’s officially shark week, and it appears the sharks in Massachusetts are well aware of this, as there have been numerous sightings.
The first great white shark of the season was tagged swimming one mile north off Truro beach in Cape Cod, the Hartford Courant recently reported.
Furthermore, sharks in the Cape area have had an appetite for striped bass. The Boston Herald has reported that sharks have been spotted twice, leaping in the air to catch these striped bass. These occurrences were off the Cape Cod Bay waters.
“Sharks appear on Cape Cod in the warmest months of the year, typically from May to November,” Boston 25 News reports. According to this report, there have been ten great white sightings in the area so far this year.
More Like Shark Month
On July 11, due to multiple shark sightings, certain beaches in Nantucket (including Great Point) prohibited swimming. Also last week, Boston.com reported shark activity in Longnook Beach in Truro and there were two sightings near Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet. A shark was seen preying on a seal near Nauset Light Beach in Eastham, and one was seen traveling south in the waters near Callanan’s Pass in Orleans, according to the app.
According to MassLive, here are additional places along the Cape where sharks have recently been detected in the past week alone:
- Harbor Hotel in Provincetown
- Jeremy Point
- Meadow Beach across from North Truro
- Off of Sesuit Harbor
- Monomoy Island
- Mayflower Beach
- North Truro High Head Beach
What’s The Shark Week Lineup?
Shark Week runs through Saturday July 29. The Discovery Channel and Discovery+ will lead with their typical week of shark-themed programming. They have tapped Jason Momoa to serve as their official host this year. Last year it was Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. None of these shark week special features are about the sharks that have been spotted in Massachusetts so far this summer.
Massachusetts Lighthouse Named One Of The Most Beautiful In The World
What do Porto, Portugal, Crete, Greece, and Scituate, Massachusetts have in common? They all have historic lighthouses. In fact, in Trips To Discover’s recent guide, they named Old Scituate Light, along Massachusetts’ south shore one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the world.
The 1800’s
This landmark dates back to the year 1810. “Congress voted to build a lighthouse at the harbor, and the light made of split granite blocks with a house attached and was activated the following year (1811),” Trips To Discover explains. It was the 11th lighthouse in the United States upon completion. It cost $4,000. Shortly after, Captain Simeon Bates, his wife and nine children lived at the house. Bates was the first keep of this lighthouse.
“Because mariners complained that the light could not be seen from far enough away to make proper heading adjustments, the U.S. Government added fifteen feet in height to the tower in 1827, mortaring red brick on top of the granite blocks,” Scituate’s Historical Society explains.
The 1900’s
The town of Scituate acquired the lighthouse from the government in 1916 for $1,000. Fourteen years later, a new lantern room was built at the top. 1994 marked one of the most memorable events in Old Scituate Light’s history as it was relit, making it visible from the sea for the first time in 134 years. Three years prior, it had been relit to be seen on land only.
Present Day
Old Scituate Light is a very popular south shore attraction. Every day people can be seen taking pictures of this lighthouse. Select dates are released each year that detail when it will be open to the public. Walkways along the water’s edge surround it for guests to explore the area. One of this destination’s most notable elements is the attached cottage. That remains a private residence that is the lightkeeper’s cottage.
While many tourists travel to the south shore of Massachusetts for the beaches and boating, stopping by one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the world is also a site worth seeing.
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.
