Great white shark startles scientist by breaching at his feet

Marine biologist Greg Skomal got quite a scare while doing shark research off the coast of Cape Cod. While standing out at the end of a research vessel's pulpit, a shark breached out of the ocean directly under him. He yelled, "Did you see that?! Did you see that?! It came right up and opened its mouth right at my feet!" Skomal works for the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and was out filming sharks, using a GoPro camera attached to a long pole, for the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.

While out on research trips, we've seen white sharks breach and we've received multiple reports of breaching white sharks this year from fishermen and boaters. While encounters like this one are rare, this video shows that they're certainly possible. White sharks are wild and unpredictable animals. This is a good reminder of the importance of not becoming complacent and always staying vigilant when in or on the water.

Thanks, Swainer!