The Cornish coast attracts many tourists to its idyllic beaches during the summers. It is the best time to enjoy the water in this region because the rest of the time, it is either raining or snowing. However, this year the locals and the tourist are on edge and afraid to step into the water. A massive shark was sighted swimming near Penzance Harbor earlier this week. Since then, the locals have given the beach a wide berth and are altogether avoiding swimming in the water.

The Atlantic Ocean is teeming with wildlife, and sharks are a natural part of the ecosystem. But this is the first time that a shark has been seen swimming so close to the beach. The reports of 62 unprovoked shark attacks from all over the world have added to the tense atmosphere in the town. Despite the fear, the locals of the small town are excited by this “surprise visit” from the shark.

Shark sighting ignites fear and fascination among locals of the swimming town

William Harvey, the owner of W Harvey & Sons, a Newlyn-based fishing company, was watching his boats come back to the shore on August 9. Around noontime, he spotted a huge blue shark swimming near the Newlyn Harbor. The local was shocked by the rare sighting as he had not expected a shark to be swimming in such shallow waters. He had seen other sea animals come near the shore before but never a shark.

Mirror reported Harvey’s statement to Cornwall Live, where the local businessman said, “I spotted the 6ft blue shark swimming underneath the harbor wall. Of all the wildlife I’ve seen in the harbour,… it was definitely the biggest surprise”. The Cornish town of Penzance has tried to position itself as the best place for swimming in the U.K.

The Penzance town council has even advertised their town as a great destination for wild diving. But this recent sighting of a 6ft blue shark near the harbor has raised concerns for the town’s tourism project. Locals are in search of reasons for the sudden appearance of the blue shark in their waters.

Unraveling the mystery

The blue sharks travel to the waters around the Penzance area in June and stay there till October. Even then, they stay on the south coast of the town, almost ten miles off the coast. The locals believe that the change in sea temperatures is pushing the blue sharks near the beaches and the coastline. The temperature of the water has impacted the availability of prey for the blue sharks, attracting them closer to the shore.

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Rosie Moore, a geo-scientist, has corroborated the local’s theory saying, “Predator-prey dynamics may also drive sharks closer to shore”. She said the blue sharks usually hunt for their prey in deeper waters at about 350m below the surface. However, due to the rising water temperatures, both the prey and the predator have changed course to the northern regions. She expects such sightings to get more frequent as more and more blue sharks are swimming toward the cooler waters around the U.K. coast.

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