Great White Shark Attacks Seal Off Nantucket

The waters off Nantucket, Massachusetts, just got a little more dramatic. On May 11, 2025, a great white shark attacked a seal just offshore at Great Point — and someone got it all on video.

Sandy Fink, visiting from Orlando, Florida, was filming a group of seals when something much bigger entered the frame. A great white shark, estimated to be about 2.7 meters (9 feet) long, rushed in and bit the seal twice. The seal didn’t survive.

This wasn’t just any nature moment — it was the first confirmed great white shark sighting in Southern New England this year, and it came with a splash of horror-movie timing. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy confirmed the details, and researchers say this is just the start of what’s likely to be another active season.

Shark Sightings Are on the Rise

If it feels like we’re hearing about sharks more often, that’s because we are. Thanks to decades of conservation work, including protected status under U.S. law — great white shark populations in the North Atlantic are growing. That’s good news for marine ecosystems, but it also means they’re showing up more frequently along populated coastlines, especially in Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the islands.

Sharks follow their food, and in this case, seals are the buffet. Nantucket has large seal populations lounging on its beaches and rocks. Where there are seals, there will be sharks.

And not just any sharks — great whites, the largest predatory fish on Earth. Adults can weigh over 1,100 kilograms (2,400 pounds) and can accelerate through the water like torpedoes. The one spotted near Nantucket is a juvenile by shark standards, but still very capable of taking out a 136-kilogram (300-pound) seal in seconds.

What Beachgoers Should Know

This attack may have been seal-on-the-menu only, but experts warn that sharks don’t always make great distinctions between prey and people, especially if someone is splashing around in a wetsuit.

To stay safe, here are a few reminders:

• Don’t swim near seals — they’re basically neon signs for them.
• Avoid swimming alone or in low-light hours when they hunt.
• Download the Sharktivity app, which tracks tagged great whites in real time.
• Skip the drone shots over feeding seals — you may get more than you bargained for.

And no, punching a shark in the nose is not a practical safety plan.

One Wild Moment, Caught on Camera

The attack was caught on video and later confirmed by shark researchers. The footage shows the ocean’s darker side — a reminder that beneath the waves, nature doesn’t take requests. It’s raw, fast, and often violent.

So if you’re headed to the New England coast this summer, keep your eyes open, your drone batteries charged, and maybe leave the seal-watching to the professionals.

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Waldemar Mopera

A BS Info Tech graduate with a big heart for animals and an even bigger passion for telling their stories. While tech is my background, writing is where I truly come alive — especially when it comes to wild encounters, animal rescues, and the unbelievable things creatures do.

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