Was a Megalodon Shark Caught on Video off the Coast of Massachusetts? Not Exactly

Viral Video of Shark has Some Wondering of the Megalodon Shark is Back

There is a viral TikTok video of a shark sighting off the coast of Massachusetts and it’s stunning.  Alex Albrecht who is a marine diversity student captured the monstrous looking creature swimming off the coast of Massachusetts from the top mast of a tall ship, the SSV Corwith Cramer according to nbcboston.com. It has been viewed over 37 million times.  And no, the megalodon is not back.  From his view from above, the shark certainly looks massive but it is not an extinct monster, is a basking shark that is basically harmless to humans.

Sightings All Along New England’s Coast

I wrote just last week about sightings of basking sharks seen near the Nubble Lighthouse and York Maine.  Does it seem like these big beauties are back in abundance or are there just more people out with videos in hand to capture the encounters?  The pandemic lockdowns are over, and more and more people are going out to the beach.  Maybe we will just have a lot more videos of them.

More Sharks This Year

I also wrote earlier last week that scientists believe because of the increase in the seal population we may have more sharks off the coast of New England this year.  If you spot a seal in the water, don’t swim there.  A better bet is to go hang out at the ocean and listen to the waves and when you get really hot, find a neighbor that has a swimming pool.  Although I have written about basking sharks before and by all reports they are gentle giants, I might have a heart attack if I saw one while swimming.  Stay safe out there this summer and don’t forget the sunscreen.