Kaitlin McKinley Becker

Multiple Shark Sightings Close Cape Cod Beaches to Swimming

Swimming was closed at Head of the Meadow Beach and Coast Guard Beach in Truro, as well as Nauset Beach in Orleans

Multiple shark sightings on Cape Cod shut down three beaches for a short time on Saturday.

The first confirmed great white shark sighting occurred off Head of the Meadow Beach in Truro around 1:40 p.m., according to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. 

Swimming was closed at that beach and also at Coast Guard Beach for an hour from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. due to that shark sighting.

The shark was 50 yards offshore and heading south, the Conservancy's app reported.

Additional shark sightings were later reported, prompting an additional swimming closure at Head of the Meadow Beach from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. 

Elsewhere on the Cape, Nauset Beach in Orleans was also closed to swimming for an hour after another white shark sighting. It was a Nauset Beach lifeguard that spotted the shark about 50 yards off the beach.

Ten-year-old Piper Streit says she was in the water when it happened and everyone was immediately ordered out of the ocean.

"Everyone was in the water and then all of a sudden the lifeguards all came down with their buoys and they were blowing their whistles and stuff," Carolyn Ruberti said.

People are a little on edge after the confirmed shark sightings. It's another reminder of the dangers in the ocean.

"I'm surprised people are in the water. I'm really surprised they are out there swimming right now, it's kind of scary," Jennifer Hinckley said.

While some are still swimming, more people seem to be playing it safe.

"We don't go swimming here," Jim Picard said with a laugh. "We have another place in the bay area, we don't swim here. Never have, never will."

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