Surfers in California thought they were close to death when a ‘shark’ emerged from the ocean off the coast of California.
A photographer captured the breathtaking moment on the beach of Monterey Bay, showing two men frozen on their surfboards as “something very large” swam past them.
The shark-like spinal cord protruded from the water, terrifying dozens of onlookers on the beach, but the animal turned out to be a large sunfish.
Eric Mendelson, who photographed the scene, said he was very impressed by the sight. He said he had never seen anything like it in the 40 years he has lived in the area.
Surfers in California thought they were inches from death when a ‘shark’ emerged from the ocean off the coast of California
Mendelson captured the footage on June 24 from Cowell’s Beach, Santa Cruz, when he walked to a cliff overlooking the water and saw about 10 people looking out over the bay.
“There were two surfers in the ocean who saw something very large swimming near them,” he said. Pen News.
‘Another surfer who had come out of the water told me he had come ashore thinking it was a big shark, and he pointed out the creature that everyone was looking at.’
Sharks are common in Monterey Bay and white sharks, the largest predatory fish in the world, visit here seasonally in late summer.
The predators have been migrating into the area over the past 10 years, first appearing around 2014.
Beachgoers reported more sightings in 2024 than in previous years.
But the two surfers got lucky, because it turned out to be a harmless sunfish “sunning itself in the shallows,” Mendelson said.
The shark-like dorsal fin protruded from the water, terrifying dozens of onlookers on the beach, but the creature turned out to be a large ocean sunfish
Eric Mendelson captured the footage on June 24 from Cowell’s Beach, Santa Cruz, when he walked to a cliff overlooking the water and saw about 10 people looking out over the bay
“Partially submerged, with only the dorsal fin sticking out of the water, you could easily mistake it for a shark, as you saw in one of my photos,” he continued.
The moonfish, or Mola mola, is a giant, flat fish with a small mouth and large eyes.
The animal can weigh up to 2,260 kilos and grow to over 3 metres in length, making it the heaviest bony fish in the world.
A great white shark weighs about 1,080 kilograms and is about 5 meters long.
The ocean sunfish, or Mola mola, is gigantic and flat with a small mouth and large eyes. It can weigh up to 5,000 pounds and grow to 10 feet long, making it the heaviest bony fish in the world
“(Sunfish) are rarely seen this close to shore as they were in this case, although they’re not that uncommon in the open ocean either,” Mendelson said.
“I have lived near Santa Cruz Beach for over forty years and this was the first time I saw one in the wild.
‘I saw one a few years ago at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but it had to be released because it outgrew its tank.
‘Despite their enormous size, they are tame animals, harmless to humans.’