A great white shark was captured on video breaching the surface of the water yards behind a boogie boarder at Newport Beach, California. The dramatic encounter occurred early Saturday morning and was filmed by Soaren Stevenson, who was on the beach with his family.
Stevenson initially did not realize the magnitude of what he had captured. "We were praying on the beach, and we were like, 'Hopefully a miracle happens. That'd be super-cool [if] a miracle happens,'" Stevenson told Fox News Digital. Upon reviewing the footage later, he zoomed in and identified the marine animal. "I was like, 'That's not even a dolphin — that's a shark.'"
The boogie boarder, Stevenson's brother-in-law, was unaware of the shark's proximity at the time of the breach. Stevenson noted that no one else on the beach appeared to notice the shark. Despite having encountered sharks before while growing up in Hawaii, his brother-in-law described the incident as a "once-in-a-lifetime-type experience."
Stevenson reflected on the encounter, stating, "It's kind of surreal to think that the shark is in the same waters as my [brother-in-law], and he didn't even know it." He added, "It just makes me realize that when you go out there to surf, you can come way closer to such a beast than you ever think you [would]."
He also commented on the timing of the incident, noting it coincided with the kickoff of Shark Week, calling it "a funny little coincidence."
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, shark incidents involving people are rare. Since 1950, fewer than 250 documented incidents involving all shark species have occurred in the state. The department also notes that the rate of shark incidents has not increased proportionally with growing beach attendance and the rising popularity of ocean activities like surfing and swimming.
Despite the close call, Stevenson expressed no intention of avoiding the water, suggesting, "I don't think they want to eat us," but advised beachgoers to remain alert and stay safe.