APTOS — It has become the summer of the juvenile white shark at a small cove in the Aptos area this year with researchers estimating that numbers of the sleek ocean predator have reached an all-time high even after a decade of lofted trends.
Known among locals as “shark park,” members of the public, along with coastal experts and state officials, have spotted the young sharks arriving at New Brighton and Seacliff state beaches in droves since approximately early June, with the warm pockets of water acting as the perfect nursery for these growing fish.
“The juveniles, when they’re little, they kind of need this perfect Goldilocks zone of temperature,” Salvador Jorgensen, a marine ecologist and assist professor at California State University Monterey Bay, told the Sentinel. “Not too cold, not too hot.”
Ocean waters just off of the Santa Cruz County coastline have historically attracted adult white sharks, but that all changed, said Jorgensen, in 2014 when a massive marine heat wave sent temperatures in the Pacific Ocean soaring, making water in the Mid County cove just right.
“As the water temperatures are warming, and these warming events are more frequent due to climate change, all kinds of species are migrating away from the equator and heading towards the poles,” added Jorgensen. The relatively small Aptos enclave sits around 65 degrees during the summer while waters only a few miles south in Moss Landing have been measured in the high 50s, said Jorgensen.
Though numbers have fluctuated, Jorgensen said he and his research team, surveying the cove in a helicopter, once spotted 61 juveniles — the most since 2014 — swimming anywhere from 25 feet to a half mile offshore. He said numbers hit a peak in June and have begun tapering off and will continue to do so until September when most sharks move south.
State Parks spokesperson Gabe McKenna told the Sentinel that the agency’s staff also noticed the uptick earlier this summer but also said sightings have slowed. State Parks officials have posted shark advisory signs at beaches in the area, but confirmed for the Sentinel Wednesday that no aggressive shark behavior toward humans has been observed and there have been no attacks on humans.
“Just always be aware of your surroundings and check in with public safety and lifeguard staff, who are patrolling on the beaches, for current conditions,” said McKenna. “This isn’t abnormal. This has become more of the norm for this particular stretch of beach.”
This year’s especially high shark totals have also inspired an increase in opportunities to observe the normally elusive sea creatures up close. O’Neill Yacht Charters, which regularly takes eager ocean enthusiasts on tours up and down the county’s coastline with its 65-foot catamaran sailboat, has begun looping the toothy cove into its route.
“It offers a great vantage point for seeing the sharks right there and getting to be close to them, but like a healthy, respectful distance as well,” said Jenny Duckart, general manager of the charter group. “Everybody can feel comfortable and get a great experience out there.”
But the increased activity also heightens the risk of boats striking the sharks as they hover near the ocean’s surface for warmth — a concerning trend that Jorgensen’s team has observed this year. Duckart said the O’Neill charter implements a strict “motors off” policy once the catamaran approaches the cove and waits for the sharks to come to them.
“It’s their habitat,” said Duckart. “They’re the boss. We’re just there to witness it.”
But the white shark takeover has also come at a high cost for other marine animals sharing the territory. Jorgensen said many sea otters foraging along the coast have suffered accidental shark bites as the young hunters mistake the furry critters for blubbery seals. These otters end up stranded in the water or on beaches and the bites are often fatal, he added.
And while Jorgensen reiterated that the sharks have shown almost no interest in humans, the region has experienced tragedy in the past.
In 2020, local surfer and shaper Ben Kelly, 26, died after he was bitten in the leg by what was likely a 10 to 12-foot subadult white shark while surfing at Sand Dollar Beach, only a mile or two away from the Cement Ship in Seacliff. Kelly and other surfers in the water attempted to stop the bleeding with a surf leash, but the effort was futile.
“We have to be aware that we’re entering into, basically, a wild place that is intact with its top predators,” said Jorgensen. “Anytime we go in, there’s always a risk.”
