Monster 15ft Great White Shark Stalks Santa Monica Pier (Video)
The young ones are partial to the regions, thanks mostly in part to the favorable conditions – a buffet of their preffered food (stingrays and small fish), the warmer water, and the relative lack of predators. It's like little league for the young ones, before they enter the big leagues offshore and up north on the California coast.
However, during a recent scan of Santa Monica, shark documenter Carlos Gauna (aka The Malibu Artist) spotted something peculiar – an adult great white, measuring in around 15-feet, cruising just near the Los Angeles County pier.
Gauna captioned the clip: 'While searching for juvenile white sharks near Santa Monica, I spotted something completely unexpected—a massive great white shark just offshore. This individual, estimated at 15 feet long, was cruising less than a mile from the Santa Monica Pier. In this video, I break down the sighting, show a live screen recording from my drone, and compare this shark to known juveniles and a confirmed 15-footer filmed in Cape Cod.'
As far as shark activity goes, this area is nothing new to Gauna. But an adult? That's an anomaly.
'I've had a lot of people on Instagram and YouTube reach out to me, saying that they've seen white sharks breaching in this area,' he says in the video. 'I put the drone up, and I find the 15, 16-foot white shark. So, I'm gonna go let the lifeguards know real quick.'And by comparison, the juveniles act differently than the adults. Gauna continues:
'Most of the white sharks I film here are small, typically in the five-to-six-foot range. And when you spend time observing them, you start to notice the differences, not just in size, but in movement, posture, and presence. Yes, it's mainly these juveniles near shore. That much is evident. But there are distinct differences between juveniles and adults. These juveniles are lean, and quite often they don't have these battle scars. Most notably is the lack of girth. Compare that to the adults. This shark is around 16-feet long; notice how thick it is.'
Just in case it needs to be said once again, the chances of getting attacked by one of these sharks is very, very low. So, don't let this footage deter you from your traditional ocean activities.Monster 15ft Great White Shark Stalks Santa Monica Pier (Video) first appeared on Surfer on Aug 4, 2025
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
5 hours ago
- CBS News
Inside the high-stakes work of Hawaii's elite lifeguards on Oahu's North Shore: "A challenging playbook"
On Oahu's North Shore, where powerful Pacific swells crash into some of the world's most dangerous beaches, an elite team of lifeguards stands between thousands of visitors and tragedy. Honolulu Ocean Safety lifeguards patrol 43 towers across the Hawaiian island, but none face more treacherous conditions than those along the seven-mile stretch home to the legendary Banzai Pipeline. "It's been said ... if you were able to harness the energy from a single wave, it could light up the city of Honolulu for a week," said Lt. Dave Wassel, a 20-year veteran. "If you're in the wrong place, wrong spot, that wave hits you, then it's lights out." Though the beaches are beautiful, they pose deadly risks that set these lifeguards apart. "Everybody in the world who's a lifeguard follows the same standards," Wassel said. "The Pacific Ocean… Nowhere is it more of a challenging playbook than right here." Professional surfer Nathan Florence, who rides these waves regularly, has seen their skill firsthand. "I talked to one of the older lifeguards the other day and he told me he had over 1,000 rescues. People don't know this. These guys are actual heroes, living heroes," said Florence. Earlier this year, Florence watched as lifeguards resuscitated an unconscious surfer pulled from the water. For veteran guard Tau Hannemann, who's spent over 20 summers on the beach, every save matters. "It's very rewarding," he said. The team monitors the Pipeline from Tower 26, often using jet skis to reach victims in surf that challenges even experienced watermen. "Most days ... nothing happens," said Lt. Kyle Foyle. "And then some days ... I've rescued three people, you know?" The need is urgent. Hawaii has the second-highest drowning rate in the U.S., and North Shore lifeguards save thousands each year. That sense of duty never ends. "You're never off duty," Foyle said. "Even when I'm playing with my kids ... I'm still watching the water." "That's just what we do," he said. "That's what we are."
Wall Street Journal
7 hours ago
- Wall Street Journal
Sorry, Billionaires—There's No Escape
For many years I flew airplanes out of the Santa Monica Airport, 2 miles from my home. I told a fellow pilot that one benefit of the license and the plane was the ability to extract my family from a societal breakdown. He agreed but noted that the difficulty would be the last hundred yards before the airport. Now comes news that American billionaires have prepared compounds in New Zealand in case of apocalypse. Thoughtfully stocked with all that the group would require—air, water, food, entertainment—they stand ready to receive the ultraprivileged. Well and good, but their fantasy, like mine, is flawed. For what is the size of the group for which they foresee transportation, protection and perpetual care?
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
Officials frightened by drastic transformation in Los Angeles water source: 'Not in good shape'
Officials frightened by drastic transformation in Los Angeles water source: 'Not in good shape' State officials and nonprofit groups have sounded the alarm on the City of Los Angeles' failed promises to restore water levels at California's Mono Lake, citing massive harms being done to the local ecosystem, the Los Angeles Times reported. "It's not in good shape right now," said Barthshé Miller, policy director of the nonprofit Mono Lake Committee, per the Times. "There is a systemic illness in the lake in terms of the health of the ecosystem, and it needs more water to recover to full health and vitality." What's happening? Mono Lake is a unique and ecologically significant body of inland saltwater that straddles the Eastern Sierras and the Great Basin Desert. Famous for its iconic tufa columns, for generations, Mono Lake has served as an important resting, feeding, and nesting spot for migratory birds. At various times of year, over 300 species of birds have been identified at Mono Lake, according to the L.A. Times. Since the 1940s, the City of Los Angeles has drained water from two of the creeks responsible for filling Mono Lake, shipping the water over 300 miles away to help quench the seemingly insatiable thirst of the city's population and industry. Diverting water from the lake's inlets has resulted in massive drops to the lake's water levels, with significant ecological and environmental consequences. As far back as 1994, California state regulators required the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to take action to increase the water levels at Mono Lake by 17 feet, the Times reported. Mono Lake never returned to those mandated levels. In 2025, the lake sat at a level eight feet higher than in 1994 but still nine feet shy of the legally mandated depth. In response, environmental advocates and local residents have urged California's State Water Resources Control Board to further limit the city's ability to draw water from the area, the Times reported. While Los Angeles city officials agreed with the ecological importance of Mono Lake, they disputed the negative characterization of the health of the lake's ecosystem, per the Times. Should the government be allowed to restrict how much water we use? Definitely Only during major droughts No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Environmental advocates used hard data to suggest otherwise. In 2024, more than 20,000 California gulls arrived at Mono Lake to nest. Yet out of that huge number of birds, only 324 chicks survived, the Times reported. "It's an indicator that something's got to change in how DWP operates," said Geoffrey McQuilkin, executive director of the Mono Lake Committee, per the Times. "The lake's not healthy." Why are water levels at Mono Lake important? Lower water levels at Mono Lake have done more than disrupt the local ecosystem. They have disrupted local lives and livelihoods, as well. Exposed areas of dry lake bed that previously were submerged, and would be submerged again if the lake were to reach its target levels, create huge dust storms under windy conditions, hurting local air quality. "I think L.A. ought to look for another source of water," said Marsha Blaver, a longtime resident of the lakeside community of Lee Vining, per the Times. "Leave streams alone. Let nature do its thing." In a broader context, the conflict over Mono Lake's water levels is representative of the growing number of conflicts around the world over available freshwater resources. Water insecurity sparks water wars, leads to food insecurity, and exacerbates public health crises, according to Much of the world's water scarcity can be traced to increasing global temperatures. "Climate change is exacerbating both water scarcity and water-related hazards (such as floods and droughts), as rising temperatures disrupt precipitation patterns and the entire water cycle," warned the UN. What's being done about water levels at Mono Lake? To make a difference in the water levels at Mono Lake or a similarly distressed body of water in your area, you can use your voice to speak out to public officials and also support political candidates who share your priorities. There are also steps that individuals can take to reduce their own water consumption. For example, planting a native garden or rewilding your yard can conserve water while also saving money on water bills and landscaping costs. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
