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Whale watchers spot 2 great white sharks in waters off Gloucester, Massachusetts

Whale watchers spot 2 great white sharks in waters off Gloucester, Massachusetts
EXPLAINS NO SPECIAL EFFECTS WERE NEEDED. THIS WAS A PACKED TOUR BOAT. PEOPLE EXPECTING TO SEE WHALES. THEY ENDED UP SEEING SOMETHING EVEN MORE RARE. IT’S A SIGHT NOBODY EXPECTED. NOT EVEN THESE SEASONED SEAFARERS WHO FIRST SPOTTED A FIN IN THE DISTANCE. I JUST HAD THE MOST CHILDLIKE REACTION OF GIDDY CHEERS AND LAUGHING. AND YOU KNOW, WE HIGH FIVED THE CAPTAIN AND I HIGH FIVES AND IT’S THE BEST. YOU TURN ON THE MICROPHONE AND YOU SAY, WELL, FOLKS, WE HAVE A WHITE SHARK. I THINK I’VE BEEN ON BETWEEN SEVEN AND 8000 WHALE WATCHES, AND I THINK THIS WAS MY SIXTH TIME SEEING ONE. WE WERE LITERALLY TALKING ABOUT A 1 IN 1000 CHANCE OF SEEING A GREAT WHITE ON A WHALE WATCH. HE’S SEEN A FEW SHARKS ON HIS TOURS BEFORE, BUT CAPTAIN J HAS NEVER SEEN SOMETHING LIKE TODAY. THEY DIDN’T JUST HAVE ONE, THERE WERE TWO. WHILE WE WERE WATCHING THAT GREAT WHITE SHARK. ANOTHER FIN APPEARED AND IT WAS A SECOND GREAT WHITE, AND THAT’S WHAT REALLY MADE IT EXTRAORDINARY IS. AND THE TWO OF THEM JUST KEPT CIRCLING, CIRCLING, CIRCLING AT ONE POINT GETTING JUST FIVE FEET AWAY. CLOSE ENOUGH TO SEE EVERY DETAIL, SEE THE EYES, SEE THE MOUTH, SEE THE FINS. AND IT WOULD CIRCLE BACK AROUND. AND IT JUST DID THIS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. SO EVERYONE GOT GREAT LOOKS. QUITE A SHOW. IT WAS IT WAS EXCITING. VIDEO OF THE PAIR NOW GOING TO HELP EXPERTS TRACK AND RECORD AND GIVING VISITORS A MEMORY OF A LIFETIME. AND THE WAY WE WERE HIGH FIVING EACH OTHER UP THERE. YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY SEE THAT EXCITEMENT FROM THE CREW, I THINK THEY THEY CAN SENSE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING SPECIAL. OH, THE CREW OF THIS TOUR COMPANY SAYS, DON’T EXPECT TO SEE THOSE SHARKS. JUST APPRECIATE WHEN YOU DO.
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Updated: 4:18 PM CDT Jun 26, 2025
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Whale watchers spot 2 great white sharks in waters off Gloucester, Massachusetts
WCVB logo
Updated: 4:18 PM CDT Jun 26, 2025
Editorial Standards
It was a sight no one expected after two great white sharks were spotted off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Even the seasoned seafarers aboard a whale watching boat who first spotted the sharks were in shock. "I just had the most childlike reaction of giddy cheers, laughing, and we high-fived," said marine naturalist Amanda Johnston. The captain and I high-fived. And you turn on the microphone and you say, 'Well, folks, we have a white shark.'"A coastal city located on Cape Ann, Gloucester is around 17 miles from Salem and around 36 miles from Boston.Captain Salvatore "Jay" Frontierro of 7 Seas Whale Watch says he's seen a few sharks on his tours before, but that he has never seen two great whites at the same time. "I think I've been on 7 or 8,000 whale watches. This is my 6th time seeing one. We’re literally talking a one-in-1,000 chance of seeing a great white on a whale watch," Frontierro said. "While we were watching that great white shark, another fin appeared. And it was a second great white. And that’s what really made it extraordinary. The two of them just kept circling, circling, circling."At one point, the sharks were just five feet away from the boat, allowing visitors to see every detail of the majestic creatures. "And it would circle back around, and it just did this over and over and over again. And so everyone got great looks," Frontierro said. "That’s quite a show. It was exciting."A video of the pair of sharks is now going to help experts track and record them, and it gave visitors a memory of a lifetime."I think they could tell just by our reaction and the way we reacted to the shark. And the way we were high-fiving each other up there, you know," Frontierro said. "When they see that excitement from the crew, I think they can sense that this is something special." The tour company crew says don’t expect to see those sharks, but to just appreciate them when you do."I don’t think this is the last time we’re going to see a white shark this season," Frontierro said. "I’d be shocked if we saw a white shark a few more times over the course of the season. Fingers crossed."

It was a sight no one expected after two great white sharks were spotted off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Even the seasoned seafarers aboard a whale watching boat who first spotted the sharks were in shock.

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"I just had the most childlike reaction of giddy cheers, laughing, and we high-fived," said marine naturalist Amanda Johnston. The captain and I high-fived. And you turn on the microphone and you say, 'Well, folks, we have a white shark.'"

A coastal city located on Cape Ann, Gloucester is around 17 miles from Salem and around 36 miles from Boston.

Captain Salvatore "Jay" Frontierro of 7 Seas Whale Watch says he's seen a few sharks on his tours before, but that he has never seen two great whites at the same time.

"I think I've been on 7 or 8,000 whale watches. This is my 6th time seeing one. We’re literally talking a one-in-1,000 chance of seeing a great white on a whale watch," Frontierro said. "While we were watching that great white shark, another fin appeared. And it was a second great white. And that’s what really made it extraordinary. The two of them just kept circling, circling, circling."

At one point, the sharks were just five feet away from the boat, allowing visitors to see every detail of the majestic creatures.

"And it would circle back around, and it just did this over and over and over again. And so everyone got great looks," Frontierro said. "That’s quite a show. It was exciting."

A video of the pair of sharks is now going to help experts track and record them, and it gave visitors a memory of a lifetime.

"I think they could tell just by our reaction and the way we reacted to the shark. And the way we were high-fiving each other up there, you know," Frontierro said. "When they see that excitement from the crew, I think they can sense that this is something special."

The tour company crew says don’t expect to see those sharks, but to just appreciate them when you do.

"I don’t think this is the last time we’re going to see a white shark this season," Frontierro said. "I’d be shocked if we saw a white shark a few more times over the course of the season. Fingers crossed."