Great White Shark Attacks Kayaker in Cape Cod Bay

Plymouth Massachusetts has closed its beaches today in the wake of an apparent shark attack yesterday near Manomet Point in Cape Cod Bay. Officials stated that the closing of local beaches was simply a precaution in order to ensure the safety of beach goers, and includes Plymouth Long Beach, White Horse Beach and the stretches near Stephen's Field and Nelson Park. 

Of course, such restrictions don't apply to private beaches, so officials are also warning private beachgoers to exercise caution while in the water by remaining near the shore. The two women involved in yesterday's attack were not harmed, and the incident apparently took place near a seal colony (seals are known prey for great white sharks, the shark species thought to be responsible for this attack). 

The habormaster currently has boats searching the area for any sign of a great white shark, but no further sightings have been reported at this time. Yet the Plymouth Harbormaster, Chad Hunter, did state that spotting sharks from a boat can be tough to do unless a shark is very close to a boat, or if a shark's dorsal fin breaks the plane of the water. 

Apparently, what happened Wednesday was two female kayakers were paddling off Manomet Point when suddenly one of them was struck from underneath and the woman was sent into the water. The second kayak then capsized and both women remained in the water until the harbormaster's boat arrived. 

Hunter stated that the women were so frightened that they couldn't immediately explain what happened to rescuers when they got there. However, the bite marks on the one kayak clued officials in as to what had taken place. 

Once the women calmed down, they explained that they saw no sign of a shark before the incident. They recalled that one of the kayaks was suddenly pushed up from the bottom and then capsized. 

"They saw the shark. The pointed head. The eye. The gills," Hunter explained. 

Hunter then advised beachgoers in the area that from now on they should assume that great white sharks could be hunting seals in Cape Cod Bay. 

"We are looking to educate the public now," Hunter stated. "Great whites are protected. Seals are protected. So there is nothing you can do about what happens naturally. So, don't swim with seals. If seals are there, then you have to assume predators are there as well.''