'Very large shark' creates a stir in Block Island's Great Salt Pond
The sighting of a large shark in Block Island's Great Salt Pond caused a stir over Memorial Day weekend.
The Atlantic Shark Institute received "a number of calls" on May 26th as they "were treated to quite the scene, kicking off the 2025 summer season!" the Wakefield research institute wrote on Facebook.
The institute posted a video sent by Jen Seebeck, who was dining at Dead Eye Dick's and "noticed the fin slicing through the water inside the pond," according to the Atlantic Shark Institute.
As the video displays the shark's dorsal and tail fins moving behind a small boat, somebody in what seems to be a distinct Rhode Island accent can be heard saying, "There's a shaahk in the pawnd."
The Atlantic Shark Institute wrote, "Clearly a very large shark and reminiscent of a scene from Jaws on this 50th anniversary of the film. Can you guess what the species is?"
More: Are there sharks in Rhode Island? 8 sharks that can be found off the shore
A few Facebook users guessed basking shark, which feeds on plankton and are harmless to humans.
Jon Dodd, executive director of the Atlantic Shark Institute, later confirmed that it was indeed a basking shark. He estimated the shark's length at 15 to 20 feet, probably closer to 20.
Basking sharks can grow to 40 to 50 feet long and weigh up to 10,000 pounds, Dodd said in an interview. Filter feeders, they eat plankton and are normally found in the open ocean, Dodd said.
"This guy made a mistake," swimming into the pond, Dodd said.
"It's the first one this year, but it won't be the last," Dodd said, noting that other types of sharks, like threshers and smaller makos, sometimes swim into Great Salt Pond.
"Sharks are arriving in Rhode Island daily as the water temperature continues to rise and more and more species of shark find them suitable to their liking," the Atlantic Shark Institute wrote.
"Hopefully, this shark will find its way out of Great Salt Pond soon and continue on its way!" the institute wrote.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: 'Very large shark' swims into Blocks Island's Great Salt Pond
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Fact Check: Arlington National Cemetery reminded Donald Trump Jr. of his family's 'sacrifices,' he wrote
Claim: Donald Trump Jr. said driving through Arlington National Cemetery reminded him of "all the sacrifices we'd have to make — giving up a huge chunk of our business and all international deals." Rating: According to internet rumors, Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of U.S. President Donald Trump, said a visit to Virginia's Arlington National Cemetery conjured reflection on the hardships and sacrifices his family has faced over the years. Arlington National Cemetery's website describes the site as a place to honor "those who have served our nation. … This impressive landscape serves as a tribute to the service and sacrifice of every individual laid to rest within these hallowed grounds." While this particular rumor about Trump Jr. has percolated online for years, it resurfaced in May 2025 following criticism of a social media post by the president on Memorial Day that offered scathing remarks about his political opponents rather than reflecting the purpose of Memorial Day to honor fallen service members. Many posts sharing the claim, such as those on TikTok (archived) and Facebook (archived), quoted the junior Trump as saying, "As we drove past the rows of white grave markers … I also thought of … all the sacrifices we'd have to make — giving up a huge chunk of our business and all international deals." This quote is correctly attributed to Donald Trump Jr. He wrote those words in his 2019 book, "Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us." The full passage from the book read: Meanwhile, it also took two months for me to realize the enormity of what my father had accomplished, and the weight of the job that he'd won. It was the day before the inauguration, and we were driving into Arlington National Cemetery, where he was to lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I rarely get emotional, if ever. I guess you'd call me hyper-rational, stoic. Yet, as we drove past the rows of white grave markers, in the gravity of the moment, I had a deep sense of the importance of the presidency and a love of our country. I was never prouder of my father than when I watched as he stood before the tomb, his hand over his heart, while the Army bugler played "Taps." In that moment, I also thought of all the attacks we'd already suffered as a family, and about all the sacrifices we'd have to make to help my father succeed — voluntarily giving up a huge chunk of our business and all international deals to avoid the appearance that we were "profiting off the office." We're not talking about business with any foreign government agencies. This was based on the idea that we might be taken advantage of by a private business that would then have leverage on us. First of all, I don't think Trump Org has ever gotten duped by anyone and, second, the chances of something like that even being attempted are pretty remote. Frankly, it was a big sacrifice, costing us millions and millions of dollars annually, a huge book of business that I had personally built. But it was a sacrifice we were more than happy and willing to make. Of course, we didn't get any credit whatsoever from the mainstream media, which now does not surprise me at all. ("Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us") Political commentators and veterans criticized Trump's comments at the time of the book's publication. Vanity Fair ran an opinion piece with the headline "Donald Trump Jr. Thinks Not Doing Foreign Deals is the Same as Dying in Battle." The BBC reported: "Arizona Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego, who fought in Iraq, responded on Twitter: 'Eight men I served with are buried in Section 60 of Arlington' … 'I visit them monthly. Even if Donald Jr lived a 1,000 years, he will never even get close to being as good and honourable as they were.'" Salon's managing editor wrote that the book "finds the son of the most powerful man in the world complaining that his family is the victim of unfair attacks. In one passage, Don Jr. refutes critics who have called his father 'racist' by pointing out that Trump allowed him and Eric to play with Michael Jackson as children and let him go on vacation with former NFL star Herschel Walker." Snopes also has reported on Donald Trump Jr.'s comments questioning why "Dr. Jill Biden" missed former President Joe Biden's cancer. Arlington Cemetery Dead Remind Trump Jr of His Father's "Sacrifices." 8 Nov. 2019. Christensen, Laerke. "Trump Wished Happy Memorial Day to 'scum' That Spent Last 4 Years 'Trying to Destroy Our Country.'" Snopes, 27 May 2025, Derysh, Igor. "Don Jr. Says Fallen Troops at Arlington National Cemetery Remind Him of Trump Family's 'Sacrifices.'" Salon, 8 Nov. 2019, Levin, Bess. "Don Jr. Thinks Not Doing Foreign Deals Is the Same as Dying in Battle." Vanity Fair, 7 Nov. 2019, Member, Politics Newsweek Is A. Trust Project. "Veteran Tells Trump Jr. to Join Military If He Wants to Know 'Sacrifice.'" Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2019, Trump, Donald. Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us. First edition., Center Street, 2019. "Trump Honors Fallen Soldiers on Memorial Day, While Attacking Biden and Judges." AP News, 26 May 2025,
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mass. fire captain who died unexpectedly remembered as ‘glue that held' department together
An active-duty Rockport fire captain who died unexpectedly on Memorial Day is being remembered for serving the town 'with immense pride and dedication.' Andrew Porter, 44, died at Addison Gilbert Hospital in Gloucester surrounded by his loved ones, according to a press release from the fire department. He was a 25-year veteran of the department. Born to Cathy and Jack Porter, Andrew Porter 'was a caring and deeply devoted son,' according to his obituary. He was also 'the big, protective brother' to his sister Lyndsay, 'with whom he shared a lifelong bond of love, laughter, and friendship and shenanigans.' At the Rockport Fire Department, Porter most recently served as the captain of Engine Companies 1 and 3, according to the fire department. He was also a specialist in the Rockport Department of Public Works Highway Division. 'He wasn't just a part of the fire department — he was the glue that held it together,' his obituary reads. 'His leadership, courage, and compassion has left an indelible mark on the dept. and the entire community." Read more: Rockport fire department mourns death of active-duty fire captain Porter was 'a devoted husband to the love of his life,' Alison Porter, according to his obituary. The couple was set to celebrate 14 years of marriage on May 28. Porter was also 'a proud and loving father to his two adoring daughters, Mackenzie and Raegan, who were truly the center of his world,' according to his obituary. 'To those who knew him, Andrew was more than just a family man and public servant. He was the truest kind of friend — reliable, warm-hearted and always ready with a helping hand," his obituary reads. Porter leaves behind his parents, sister, wife, daughters and many other beloved friends and relatives, according to his obituary. 'Andrew lived his life with integrity, kindness, and a fierce love for his family and community. He was loved deeply, respected widely, and will be missed beyond words. His legacy lives on in the hearts of those that loved him,' his obituary reads. Porter's funeral Mass is scheduled for Monday, June 2, at 10 a.m. at Saint Ann's Church in Gloucester, according to his obituary. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that a donation be made to help out his daughters, Mackenzie and Raegan, at Cape Ann Savings Bank on Main Street in Gloucester. Man charged with murder after woman's body is discovered near Northeastern University 2nd victim in Boston double shooting from last weekend dies, both men identified Gov. Healey demands answers after ICE arrests Mass. high school student Despite pending change in location, Cornucopia owners plan to stay true to mission Threat to Holyoke High deemed hoax; juvenile suspect identified Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Reader Q&A: What's up with Arizona's special gasoline blends and are they worth the cost?
This is part of a monthly series answering readers' climate-related questions and highlighting Arizona's unsung climate leaders. The stories aim to help connect and inspire Arizonans who care about protecting a livable climate and may be struggling to find hope in that effort. You can ask a question or nominate an unsung Arizona climate leader by filling out this form at or by emailing climate reporter Joan Meiners at The price of gasoline is a frequent hot topic of conversation around the water cooler, er, gas pump. It also comes up like clockwork every four years during the run-up to the presidential election when it is, incorrectly, used to blame or praise candidates for their economic approach (turns out gasoline prices have very little to do with short-term domestic policies and are largely out of any sitting president's control, according to energy analysts). In Arizona, gasoline tends to be a bit more expensive than the national average, as my colleague Russ Wiles reported recently in advance of Memorial Day weekend travel. One reason could be that a state law requires the summertime use of a special blend designed to help control ozone and other air pollutants that peak during hot months in metro Phoenix, which consistently ranks among the regions with the worst air quality in the country. After Wiles' story was published, he received questions from readers about whether that requirement is still in place and, if so, whether it's worth the added cost. More: What to expect with Arizona gas prices as Memorial Day, summer travel season nears "Russ, unfortunately, you didn't mention the exotic blend of gasoline only Arizona is required to use to supposedly lower the ozone levels, which costs tons more than similar blends that could supposedly have the same effect on pollution and are cheaper," one reader wrote. "You didn't mention the special blend that is required by the consent order locally signed," another reader pointed out. "Is it no longer in effect?" Arizona's cleaner-burning gasoline blend was not the focus of Wiles' story last month. But since burning fossil fuels like gasoline for transportation is a top contributor to the emission of greenhouse gases causing the climate to warm and destabilize, and because ozone is an indirect part of that larger equation, it is the focus of this story — part of our monthly series answering reader's climate-related questions or highlighting a local climate leader. (Submit your question here: AZ climate leader: These 'great old broads' are serious about science, wolves and reversing climate change The most basic difference with cleaner-burning gasoline is the addition of oxygen-containing compounds, or oxygenates, that help gasoline burn more completely in fuel tanks and not evaporate from vehicles. This makes for better fuel efficiency (with some minor mpg tradeoffs) while minimizing toxins that end up in the air. CBG blends also reduce the amount of benzene, a known human carcinogen, by half and the amount of sulfur, which facilitates better emissions controls on vehicles, by up to 80%. And they typically cut back on the use of other smog-forming hydrocarbons once thought to improve vehicle performance. Extensive testing with millions of miles driven on CBG blends since 1996, however, has shown no negative effects on vehicles or in other types of gasoline-burning engines. The fuel types can be used interchangeably without any modifications. The estimated effect is a 15% reduction in smog for a 5- to 15-cent per gallon cost increase. (These stats are for California, which has a slightly different blend. Arizona officials declined to comment for The Arizona Republic on how the local CBG blend differs or might affect prices.) It's tough to translate that added cost at the pump into health care savings related to air pollution's links to higher incidences of asthma, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke and more. But since children can be especially vulnerable to air pollutants, the value of reducing them now can pay dividends for society further into the future, with incoming generations that are able to be more productive in the workforce and less reliant on the health care system. More: Reader Q&A: How can I protect my kids from climate pollution and advocate for clean air? Jeremy Martin, a chemist who directs fuels policy for the Union of Concerned Scientists' Clean Transportation Program, said it's important to look at vehicles and fuels as an interconnected system shifting with gasoline markets and vehicle efficiency improvements, and also with societal health outcomes and concerns. "One important piece of context is that federal fuel regulations have been changing as well," Martin said. "Vehicle regulations and fuel regulations go hand in hand, and together they result in reduced air pollution and reduced health impacts from that pollution." The American Lung Association reported in 2025 that Arizona ranked fourth in the number of unhealthy ozone days and that 84% of Arizonans live in communities with unhealthy air. Another AZ climate leader: Rhonda Bannard believes women are the changemakers for climate action and Mother Earth Arizona's struggle with unhealthy air goes back decades, and so does its history of trying to contain it using cleaner-burning gasoline, one of several tools in the air quality arsenal. It all started in 1997, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency extended its reformulated gasoline program to the Phoenix area to bring it into compliance with air quality regulations established by the Clean Air Act. Then-Gov. Fife Symington supported this solution and asked in January 1997 that the EPA require refiners to supply local retailers with the reformulated gasoline blend by June. But in September of that year, Symington resigned from office over bank fraud convictions that were eventually overturned. His successor, Gov. Jane Dee Hull, requested an exemption from the EPA program just one week later. Although Phoenix was still considered a "serious ozone non-attainment area," the EPA granted this removal as of June 1998, one year after it had started, because Arizona had developed its own clean fuel program to reduce emissions of particulates and volatile organic compounds that contribute to ozone formation. The specifics of that state program have shifted and been revised over the years, with some efforts to increase its benefits for air quality and other introduced legislation, including in the current legislative session, aimed at expanding what types of fuel can be considered clean enough or loosening regulations. Vince Wolpert, who manages CBG compliance for the Arizona Department of Agriculture, said the current supply is sourced from refineries in California, New Mexico and Texas and brought into the state primarily by two pipelines, one from California and the other from New Mexico. "As for how the Department of Agriculture became involved, the Office of Weights and Measures already regulated fuel quality and quantity," Wolpert said. "Therefore, the state legislature tasked our agency as the enforcement agency for the CBG program." Read our climate series: The latest from Joan Meiners at azcentral: climate coverage from Arizona and the Southwest Beyond the cost-saving benefits of slowing destructive atmospheric warming by reducing tailpipe emissions that increase greenhouse gas concentrations and worsen storms, the climate issue becomes involved in gasoline pricing when demand for CBG intersects with Arizona's growing electric vehicle industry. "Of course, our best bet would be to invest more in transit and electric vehicles to make a difference for our air," said Sandy Bahr, director of the Grand Canyon chapter of the Sierra Club. Since 2022, Arizona has become an "EV battery manufacturing powerhouse," with several large new facilities incentivized by clean energy tax credits tied to former President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. Hundreds of millions of investment dollars and thousands of jobs have flowed to the state as a result. But the Trump administration's budget proposal currently under consideration by the U.S. Senate would repeal most of those funds, as well as a program offering average Americans up to $7,500 back on electric vehicle purchases. Advocates say this would devastate Arizona's clean energy economy and have hazardous consequences for energy access, air quality and health. Some analysts further predict that a slowing of the American electric vehicle industry — one that forces more people into internal combustion vehicles despite globally increasing market demand for EVs — could put more pressure on gasoline supply chains, causing a greater increase in prices at the pump than any version of a cleaner-burning fuel program. Joan Meiners is the climate news and storytelling reporter at The Arizona Republic and Her award-winning work has also appeared in Discover Magazine, National Geographic, ProPublica and the Washington Post Magazine. Before becoming a journalist, she completed a doctorate in ecology. Follow Joan on Twitter at @beecycles, on Bluesky @ or email her at This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Do Arizona's fuel blends help air quality or reduce greenhouses gases?
