Brief
Shark swims close to surfers at El Porto Beach in Manhattan Beach
Influencer Josh Hublitz posted video of a shark cruising near the surf at El Porto Beach, adding to recent shark sightings along the Southern California coast.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Influencer Josh Hublitz posted a video on Instagram on Friday showing a shark swimming just inches from the shore at El Porto Beach in Manhattan Beach, California. The footage captured the shark’s dorsal fin breaking the surface as it glided through ankle‑deep water, prompting Hublitz to comment that he had never seen a shark at that spot before.
Hublitz wrote, “Surfing with sharks in Los Angeles… I’ve actually never seen a shark in El Porto before. This is the first,” and added, “Ankle deep water. That is super sketch.” The video quickly spread on social media, with one user suggesting the animal might be a juvenile thresher shark, a species that often hunts baitfish close to shore.
The species of the shark in the video has not been confirmed. The encounter follows several recent shark sightings along Southern California’s coastline, including a reported 10‑ to 12‑foot great white that prompted the Huntington Beach Fire Department to close a two‑mile stretch of beach earlier in the week. In late June, a 9‑foot great white was also spotted off La Jolla, leading officials to post warning signs.
Scientists have linked the uptick in shark activity to unusually warm ocean temperatures tied to a strong El Niño pattern, which may be pushing some shark species farther north and closer to popular beaches. The same warm‑water trend has also brought other unusual marine encounters, such as a rare hammerhead off Malibu and sightings of venomous sea snakes along the coast.
Key facts
- Josh Hublitz posted a video of a shark swimming inches from shore at El Porto Beach on Friday. (nypost.com)
- The shark’s dorsal fin was visible in ankle‑deep water, but its species was not confirmed. (nypost.com)
- Recent weeks have seen multiple shark sightings on Southern California beaches, including a 10‑ to 12‑foot great white near Huntington Beach. (nypost.com)
- Scientists attribute the increase in shark activity to unusually warm ocean temperatures linked to a strong El Niño. (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “Unerving moment shark creeps up on surfers off popular SoCal beach”
