Massive Shark Caught on Camera Near Popular Beach (Video)

Vacationers in southern Maine got an unexpected jolt this week after a drone captured a massive great white shark cruising dangerously close to popular swimming spots.

Scarborough police confirmed the predator — estimated at 10 to 12 feet long — was first spotted on Monday, August 11, near Richmond Island, just offshore from Scarborough Beach. The town’s Marine Resource Officer began tracking the sighting after a report from a local boater.

“Follow-up observations were conducted, and on Tuesday we obtained drone footage showing what appears to be a great white shark off the southern end of Richmond Island, in the vicinity of Higgins Beach and Scarborough Beach,” officials posted on the town’s Facebook page. They later confirmed the same shark was seen again off Pine Point Beach the following morning.

The chilling video, filmed by David Lancaster, shows the giant shadow gliding beneath the surface — a stark reminder that the ocean’s apex predators aren’t far from shore.

Officials Warn Swimmers to Stay Cautious

Town leaders stressed that the alert was issued for “situational awareness,” not panic. But marine safety experts say the timing is worth noting: great whites have been spotted more frequently in New England waters during late summer as they follow seals and baitfish.

According to the Maine Department of Marine Resources, shark encounters are rare but not impossible. The agency advises swimmers to stay close to shore, avoid areas with seals or schooling fish, limit splashing, and skip wearing shiny jewelry that could mimic the glint of prey. “Avoid swimming at dawn or dusk when lighting is low,” the department adds.

Local fisherman Tom Harris, who has worked the waters around Scarborough for 30 years, told us, “It’s not unheard of to see sharks here, but a great white of that size? That’ll make you think twice about jumping in.”

A Growing Trend Along the East Coast

Marine biologists say this sighting is part of a larger pattern. Tracking data shows more great whites are spending time in the Gulf of Maine, where warming waters and an abundant seal population make for prime hunting grounds. In 2020, a woman was fatally attacked by a great white off Bailey Island — Maine’s first recorded fatal shark attack.

Shark researcher Dr. Emily Reeve notes, “They’re not here to target humans — they’re here for food. But when people swim in the same waters as seals, the risk, though still small, does go up.”

For now, Scarborough’s beaches remain open, but lifeguards and marine patrol units are on high alert. Visitors are urged to obey all safety advisories and keep eyes on the water.

As one beachgoer, 19-year-old Hannah Keller, put it after seeing the drone video: “It’s both amazing and terrifying. You don’t expect to see a great white in your vacation feed until it’s right there under your beach towel.”