ORLEANS, Mass —
Nauset Beach in Orleans, Massachusetts closed to swimmers Monday afternoon following a confirmed shark sighting.
The swim ban is in effect until 3:50 p.m., according to the Town of Orleans.
This is not the first cape cod beach to close on Monday as a result of a shark sighting.
Duxbury Beach reopened to swimmers Monday afternoon after a shark was spotted in the waters the day before.
People were allowed to access the beach but were not allowed to swim in the waters for the first half of the day on Monday.
Crews were working Sunday afternoon to remove the carcass of a beached whale, which has been attracting numerous sharks. The Plymouth harbormaster confirmed sightings of a Great White Shark on Sunday.
Duxbury Police allowed people to enter the waters Monday afternoon, but told people to swim at their own risk and call 911 for any suspected shark sightings.
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Maine is no stranger to shark sightings.
A great white shark was spotted one mile off of Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport in early August.
Kennebunkport police said that while the beach is protected, it's important to be aware of possible dangers in the water. Anyone who sees anything unusual at the beach is always asking people to contact the police department immediately.
“Basking sharks swimming by the coast is not uncommon for our area, particularly this time of year," said Dr. James Sulikowski, a marine biologist and shark expert at the University of New England. “Basking sharks can get between 30-plus feet long. That’s a giant shark. Most commercial boats, when you think about it, are under 30 feet.”
Baskings are the second-largest species of shark after the whale shark. They're frequently mistaken for great white sharks, a species that averages 10 feet shorter in length and is often connected through documented incidents to potentially dangerous situations.