Shark spotted metres from shore at Corindi Beach, NSW mid north coast
Swimmers at a popular beach were shocked to spot a shark lurking in shallow waters meters offshore.
The shark was filmed swimming along the coastline at Corindi Beach near Coffs Harbor on the NSW north coast.
It’s unclear what type of shark it was, but it’s clear no one was in the water at the time.
The footage was posted to a local Facebook group on Tuesday, sparking a shocked response from locals.
One viewer claimed they had surfed in the same spot for minutes just before the shark emerged.
The dorsal fin of an unidentified shark was spotted in the shallow waters of a popular beach north of Coffs Harbour
“That’s a bit close, you wouldn’t want to walk your dogs or kids there,” one person wrote.
“Awww no, I swim there all the time and I’m already getting the heeby jeebies,” said another.
“Be very careful guys,” someone said.
Corindi Beach is not only popular with swimmers, but also with surfers and snorkelers.
Experts told it Yahoo sharks are often seen cruising in the shallows and they can pose a risk to people wading in the water.
An Australian beachgoer filmed one tiger shark nearly beached itself while hunting for a turtle in Western Australia in late January.
Also in late January, Sydneysider Lauren O’Neill suffered a serious bite to her right leg and suffered ‘major blood loss’ after being bitten by a bull shark close to shore in Sydney Harbour.
While Sydney swimmers at a popular beach fled the water after a shark was spotted in the shallows on Australia Day.
Florida Museum of Natural History curator Gavin Naylor previously told Yahoo that he believes being further out in the water from the shallows isn’t always the problem.
He said this is because many shark bites occur quite close to shore.
Corindi Beach received an unwanted visitor on Tuesday when a shark was sighted. Experts warn that many sharks swim in the shallow waters on beaches and advise beachgoers not to be isolated from other people while swimming
He believes distance from other swimmers can increase the chance of an attack.
Maritime experts have also warned Australians of the dangers sharks pose as water temperatures rise.
Humane Society International marine biologist Lawrence Chlebeck said it is not known whether more sharks are arriving each year in greater numbers than in recent years.
“It remains to be seen whether this will be a cyclical thing, or whether it will happen year after year, after year as a result of global warming,” he said.
“But those warm waters will definitely bring more bull sharks and tiger sharks to the area.”