4 Easy Things You Can Do To Avoid A Shark Attack!

Shark Attacks in Massachusetts: How Common Are They and What to Watch Out For

Attention beachgoers. Ever worry about sharks lurking in the waters off Massachusetts?

(Um, it keeps me up at night. Truly. I blame "Jaws".)

Anyway, you're not alone. But don't let that fear keep you from enjoying the ocean.

Shark experts assure us these ocean predators are unlikely to bite. Still, it’s worth being informed and staying safe.

Let’s start with some numbers. Last year, the U.S. saw 36 shark attacks, more than half of the 69 reported worldwide. In Massachusetts, shark attacks are rare. Of the 1,595 shark attacks since 1837 in U.S. waters, six were in Massachusetts, according to the International Shark Attack File. In 2018 there were two attacks, one fatal.

Your chances of being attacked by a shark are about 1 in 3.7 million. Compare that to the odds of dying in a fall, which are 1 in 128. Even coconuts are deadlier, killing about 150 people annually. On the bright side, if a shark does bite, the survival rate is around 90%. Sharks often realize we’re not their usual meal and swim away.

Cape Cod is a hotspot for great white sharks, thanks to the abundance of seals. These agile creatures are a white shark’s favorite snack. So, if you’re a surfer, you might look a bit like a seal splashing around on the surface. No need to panic, just be shark smart.

Here are some tips to stay safe:

If you see a shark, don’t freak out.

Maintain eye contact, slowly back away, and get out of the water if you can. If a shark does bite, aim for its eyes, gills, or snout. These areas are super sensitive.

Download the Sharktivity app to stay updated on shark sightings. It’s like checking the weather before heading to the beach – simple and smart.

Remember, shark attacks are incredibly rare. Most sharks aren’t interested in humans; they’re just cruising their natural habitat. So, be aware, be prepared, and enjoy the waves.

It is officially shark sighting season on these Massachusetts Beaches! The weather and water are getting warmer and people are starting to run toward the beach. This allows for more shark sightings and God forbid, more shark attacks.

In fact, a whale-watching cruise out of Provincetown officially captured the first shark sighting of the season 30 miles from Boston Harbor on Sunday. With this first shark sighting, experts are now warning people this is the time to start looking out for sharks when you're visiting beaches. 

There are ways you can actually track shark sightings. One being a company called The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. There's also an app called "Sharktivity" where people can report actual shark sightings. You can see how many sightings there have been in the past month, past week and past year. Before we warn you of the beaches where you're more likely to get attacked by a shark, let's look at how you can avoid it all together. 

Stay close to shore. Play in the water in larger groups. Limit your splashing. Don't swim near schools of fish or seals. As long as you adhere to these "rules" of the water, your chances of being attacked by a shark go way down.

Shark sightings typically occur from mid-May into October when sharks visit the shorelines looking for food, aka seals. Chances of getting killed by a shark are very low although there have been two people killed since 2018. There have been more shark bites however which can lead to hospitalizations. 

So which beaches in Massachusetts are more prone to shark attacks? We've taken a look at analysis over the past 5 years and put together this list of the most shark infested beaches in the state. If you dare take a trip to any of these this summer, take extra precautions. Enjoy!

In 2019 there were 5 shark sightings here. It is consistently a popular beach for sharks to be seen although the amount of actual sharks seen here is quite low.

https://www.weneedavacation.com/Beach/High-Head-Truro/

Ballston Beach reported some shark sightings back in 2019 and is consistently an area of the Cape that sharks are seen. There were 6 sightings in 2019.

https://www.masslive.com/capecod/2019/07/ballston-beach-in-truro-to-reopen-after-great-white-shark-spotted-tuesday-morning.html

There were 7 shark sightings at Marconi Beach back in 2019 with more consistent sightings ever since.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/shark-sighting-confirmed-off-marconi-beach-in-wellfleet/28263815#:~:text=There%20was%20a%20confirmed%20sighting,seen%20in%20Cape%20Cod%20Bay.

There were 8 shark sightings back in 2019 and you can continue monitoring shark activity by using the "Sharktivity" app.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/sharks-cape-cod-trnd/index.html#:~:text=Longnook%20Beach%20in%20Truro%2C%20Massachusetts,close%20to%20shore%2C%20police%20said.&text=Sharks%20are%20pretty%20frequent%20vacationers,two%20days%20before%20this%20sighting.

There were 10 shark sightings back in 2019. Consistent shark sightings have been seen here based on the "Sharktivity" app.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/sharks-cape-cod-trnd/index.html#:~:text=Longnook%20Beach%20in%20Truro%2C%20Massachusetts,close%20to%20shore%2C%20police%20said.&text=Sharks%20are%20pretty%20frequent%20vacationers,two%20days%20before%20this%20sighting.

There were 12 sharks spotted here back in 2019. More were spotted as early as last year.

https://www.masslive.com/news/2022/08/cape-cod-shark-sighting-race-point-beach-temporarily-closed-when-shark-swims-close-to-shore.html

There were 12 sharks spotted here in 2019.

https://www.coastalneighborhoods.com/aunt-lydias-cove-chatham/

There were 13 sightings here in 2019. This included footage from a man who had gotten killed.

There were 16 shark sightings here in 2019. This beach is consistently boasting sightings of sharks including this one from 2022.

https://www.bostonherald.com/2022/06/28/cape-shark-sighting-closes-head-of-the-meadow-beach-to-swimming/#:~:text=June%2028%2C%202022%20at%201,White%20Shark%20Conservancy's%20Sharktivity%20app.

A whopping 27 sharks were spotted here in 2019.

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/shark-sightings-off-us-state-a-boon-for-tourism-591905

43 sharks were seen here in 2019! There were five seen in ONE day last year.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/5-shark-sightings-reported-in-one-day-off-coast-of-popular-cape-cod-beach/40572343#:~:text=ORLEANS%2C%20Mass.%20%E2%80%94,mid%2Dto%2Dlate%20morning.