Lobsterman Spots Great White Shark Off Plymouth Coast
PLYMOUTH (CBS) -- Several beaches in Plymouth will be closed until Sunday afternoon after a lobsterman spotted a great white shark off Manomet Point on Saturday.
The beaches that are currently closed include Plymouth Long Beach, White Horse Beach, Nelson's and Steven's field swim areas, according to the Plymouth Harbormaster.
Plymouth lobsterman Bob Ward reported seeing the 15-foot shark about a half-mile east of the point at 2 p.m. He was pulling traps when the shark swam up to his boat.
"We came up on it the first time and we saw the fin and a little bit of it, and then we stopped and waited for it to surface again," he said.
"Then, we followed it around and kind of went in front of it and let it come to us. It came to within about 10 feet and then it curled and went beside us. Then, it went down and we didn't see it again."
Ward says the shark was gone before he could get a picture.
It wasn't long before the harbormaster was patrolling the coast, but the shark wasn't seen again. Following the sighting, everyone was ordered to shore.
"The lifeguard (said there was a) shark sighting (and to) get out of the water," said one beachgoer, adding that she heard the lifeguard was blowing their whistle multiple times.
By early Saturday evening, many people were back in the water again, even though the beaches are officially closed to swimming.
As for Ward, he said it's a day he'll never forget.
"Yeah, we'll be looking for fins now all the time," he said.
Beaches will be flying the no-swimming flag until 2 p.m. Sunday.
WBZ-TV's Jim Smith contributed to this report.