After shark bites, Harbormaster concerned for Cape Cod beachgoers, issues warning

The Harbormaster for Orleans is warning Cape Cod beachgoers of the new norm and he is concerned something terrible is going to happen.

In a social media statement on Wednesday, Nathan Sears stated his concerns about the behavior of tourists at the beach.

“The Town of Orleans manages the protected (lifeguarded) section of Nauset Beach under the assumption that there are always sharks in the vicinity of the swim area. Lifeguards have been trained to direct visitors to stay tight to shore and are vigilantly watched during hours of operation. Staff are standing by to launch the Zodiac rescue boat from the shorebreak and EMTs are present daily throughout the summer. The challenge is trying to convey the gravity of the situation to the beachgoers. As far as I can see, local tourism and beach attendance has yet to be negatively affected by the presence of the sharks. Regardless of how much signage and information we provide, there still seems to be a concerning level of complacency. People continue to risk entering and swimming in the water even after the recent incident in Truro where the man was bitten. We are witnessing sharks feeding aggressively in shockingly shallow water on an almost daily basis over this past August. Based off of the past research data provided from Dr. Skomal and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, we expect this inshore behavior off Nauset Beach to continue through the Fall when the beach is not staffed. The inshore waters off of Cape Cod are truly a wild place and people should practice extreme caution while visiting. White sharks have bitten people along this coastline. Fortunately, no one has died yet. However, it can only be expected that more incidents will occur if people continue to take unnecessary risks. The beaches off the backside of the Cape are expansive and often remote. This makes it extremely challenging for Public Safety Officials and Beach Managers to provide direction to all who visit. The constant presence of White sharks in shallow water off of Nauset Beach in the months of August – October is the new norm. It is time for beachgoers to change their behavior or something terrible is going to happen. Please be safe.”