Massachusetts sharks question

[Rafael]

Hi, i will like to know what kind of sharks visit the coast of MA and during what time, a couple years ago we had a Great white in the Cape Cod area, but beside that and a couple dog fish i never heard or seen anything, i dive quite often in the Boston area, where when in shipwrecks you can see plenty of marine life, but never sharks, i will think that blue sharks will visit theis waters, but till now i been out of luck.

Is anywhere i should be looking, water temp., depth, timeof the year, day or night?

Thank you for your help on advance.

 

[simonspear]

There are a couple of operators that run out of Rhode Island who offer the chance to cage dive with Blues and sometimes Mako's. As they are truely oceanic sharks it would be very rare indeed to ever come across them on a 'normal' dive. You also get basking sharks visiting the east coast, and I would have thought all the other usual suspects like hammerhead, thresher etc. Most of the info is based on Rhode Island, so I'm not sure exactly how that relates to MA, but it should similar.

Cheers, Simon

 

[rubberduck]

There was a Great White sighting off the coast of Chathamlast Saturday. Looks like it was going after a seal and was witnessed by 15 people.

 

[mfalco]

I once saw someone catch a blueshark on a fishing pole from the shore on cape cod

 

[Fotoz4FX]

Rather than making assumptions based on chance sightings or the catch of a fisherman, I went out and bought a book which provides the range of most species of shark and other interesting marine species.
Don't be surprized that you do not see them in your limited visibility in the North Atlantic. I can assure you as a diver you are noticed by the many hundreds of varieties that frequent the MA coastline but they want nothing to do with you as a diver (sharks don't care for bubbles and are predators of opportunity).
I've been diving over 30 years now and STILL have not gotten a decent or verifiable view of a shark in the north Atlantic. You want to see them?... visit Morehead City, NC - The Graveyard of the Atlantic is there (appreciable wrecks) and they have a few favorite ships (Caribe Sea, Papoose... etc.). What you will see are large Tiger Sharks ranging from 7 to an occasional 10 footer and they are accustomed to diver visitations.

 

[simonspear]

I think you meant to say 'Sand Tiger Sharks' (or Ragged Tooth Tiger Sharks (Raggies) as they are known in Africa), rather than actual Tiger Sharks. Tiger Sharks can sometimes be found further north, but you are much more likely to see them in warmer waters like off the coast of Florida or the Bahamas.

I'd love to get to NC one day and dive off the Outer Banks. I've heard there is some excellent diving there, with or without sharks.

Cheers, Simon

 

[packman]

Come on down. The diving is, indeed, excellent and our sand tigers are numerous and friendly (so long as you don't try to pet them).

BTW, if you want to see a shark on your dive, spear a fish.