A picturesque section of California’s Central Coast has emerged as a hotspot for great white shark activity, prompting officials to issue an urgent warning to beachgoers.
Swimmers and surfers have been urged to avoid the water at Lovers Point Beach in Pacific Grove following reports of sharks near the popular Monterey Bay shoreline.
The Pacific Grove Police Department told the California Post that the precautionary guidance followed reports of a seal being bitten in the area, with blood subsequently spotted in the water.
Lovers Point Beach remains open to visitors, but authorities are advising people not to swim, surf or take part in other water activities while concerns persist about large predators offshore.
The warning came just days after five great white sharks were seen swimming about 200 yards from the beach near Sanctuary Beach Resort in nearby Marina.
Drone footage recorded Tuesday morning by whale-watching company Sanctuary Cruises showed four juvenile sharks moving through the water alongside a huge adult female estimated to measure more than 14 feet.
The company said its crew launched the investigation after hearing reports that shark activity had increased in the area.
“With all this hype in the local media about great white sharks hanging around our local beaches lately, we thought we’d put our eye in the sky and take a look ourselves,” Sanctuary Cruises wrote.
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“Within minutes of looking around, we spotted multiple great white sharks just a few hundred yards from the beach, including this massive female we estimate to be 14–16 feet!”
The latest great white shark sightings follow another dramatic incident at nearby Marina State Beach, where a massive shark burst from the ocean as beachgoers recorded the coastline.
The startling moment occurred while a group of friends were taking photos and videos along the shore.
In response, California State Parks issued a shark advisory for Marina State Beach.
Officials say fall is typically an especially active season for great white sharks along California’s Central Coast, as the animals regularly return to the region’s waters.
Even so, the recent sightings do not necessarily mean the sharks are acting unusually or deliberately targeting people on the beach.
