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Duxbury, Massachusetts and the great white hope of the New England seaside Duxbury, Massachusetts and the great white hope of the New England seaside
(about 2 hours later)
My wife’s family owns a summer house in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Evidently, I married well: Duxbury is everything a New England summer resort could be. It is historic, peaceful and beautiful, the beach is one long stretch of sand and surf, and the lobster rolls are tremendous.My wife’s family owns a summer house in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Evidently, I married well: Duxbury is everything a New England summer resort could be. It is historic, peaceful and beautiful, the beach is one long stretch of sand and surf, and the lobster rolls are tremendous.
Related: Jaws, 40 years on: ‘One of the truly great and lasting classics of American cinema’Related: Jaws, 40 years on: ‘One of the truly great and lasting classics of American cinema’
Duxbury also has sharks.Duxbury also has sharks.
Mostly, apart from the odd brown shark, it has sand tigers. And when my wife was nine or so, family legend has it, she was chased by one. Family legend also has it that in the general stampede that followed the first cry of “shark!” in that post-Jaws summer, my wife’s older sister ran shrieking to the beach, leaving her younger sibling to be rescued from the vice-like teeth of doom by the school librarian.Mostly, apart from the odd brown shark, it has sand tigers. And when my wife was nine or so, family legend has it, she was chased by one. Family legend also has it that in the general stampede that followed the first cry of “shark!” in that post-Jaws summer, my wife’s older sister ran shrieking to the beach, leaving her younger sibling to be rescued from the vice-like teeth of doom by the school librarian.
Sensible older sister. But I digress.Sensible older sister. But I digress.
Sand tiger sharks can reach 10ft – although the Duxbury ones are usually 3ft to 5ft juveniles – and they have big, pointy teeth. They have recently recovered from being fished out to thrive once again in the lagoon across which runs Powder Point bridge, a huge wooden span that featured in The Way Way Back, a recent good-if-not-great addition to the canon of American summer beachside coming-of-age movies.Sand tiger sharks can reach 10ft – although the Duxbury ones are usually 3ft to 5ft juveniles – and they have big, pointy teeth. They have recently recovered from being fished out to thrive once again in the lagoon across which runs Powder Point bridge, a huge wooden span that featured in The Way Way Back, a recent good-if-not-great addition to the canon of American summer beachside coming-of-age movies.
But I digress again.But I digress again.
A sand tiger’s idea of a good time is to munch on a baitfish. They are not dangerous to humans, whatever the frisson their unseen presence gives to peering off Powder Point bridge or paddling in the surprisingly warm Atlantic.A sand tiger’s idea of a good time is to munch on a baitfish. They are not dangerous to humans, whatever the frisson their unseen presence gives to peering off Powder Point bridge or paddling in the surprisingly warm Atlantic.
Great white sharks, however, are dangerous. Very. And the much-heralded return of carcharodon carcharias to New England waters – boosted by official protection, a cleaner environment and resurgent seal colonies – has now reached Duxbury.Great white sharks, however, are dangerous. Very. And the much-heralded return of carcharodon carcharias to New England waters – boosted by official protection, a cleaner environment and resurgent seal colonies – has now reached Duxbury.
Last August, a police helicopter spotted a great white lurking about not that far from some surfers who were doing their wildly-inadvisable-in-the-circumstances thing off Duxbury beach. The sighting was made known to the authorities and the beach was closed.Last August, a police helicopter spotted a great white lurking about not that far from some surfers who were doing their wildly-inadvisable-in-the-circumstances thing off Duxbury beach. The sighting was made known to the authorities and the beach was closed.
The 14ft great white, blissfully unaware, wandered off to masticate on a porpoise. The beach reopened. And at some point, some wiseass or other grabbed a stick and wrote – complete with misplaced apostrophe – a familiar message in the sand: “Your’e gonna need a bigger boat.”The 14ft great white, blissfully unaware, wandered off to masticate on a porpoise. The beach reopened. And at some point, some wiseass or other grabbed a stick and wrote – complete with misplaced apostrophe – a familiar message in the sand: “Your’e gonna need a bigger boat.”
Written in the sand on Duxbury Beach: "you're gonna need a bigger boat." #shark #jaws #7news pic.twitter.com/prZzCx59TVWritten in the sand on Duxbury Beach: "you're gonna need a bigger boat." #shark #jaws #7news pic.twitter.com/prZzCx59TV
Related: Great white sharks: 10 myths debunked
And therein lies the rub: people love great white sharks. On and around Cape Cod in recent years, sightings of great whites have actually increased tourist numbers.And therein lies the rub: people love great white sharks. On and around Cape Cod in recent years, sightings of great whites have actually increased tourist numbers.
I love great white sharks too, even if since seeing Jaws at the age of about six I have never thought it safe to go back in the water – any water, including the Tooting Bec Lido and the bath. Regardless of the infinitesimally small likelihood of a great white shark, or any shark, actually attacking someone – and of the horrible human cost if it does – if it’s massive and has teeth and lurks in the ocean, I’ll read about it, watch films about it, talk about it and dream about it.I love great white sharks too, even if since seeing Jaws at the age of about six I have never thought it safe to go back in the water – any water, including the Tooting Bec Lido and the bath. Regardless of the infinitesimally small likelihood of a great white shark, or any shark, actually attacking someone – and of the horrible human cost if it does – if it’s massive and has teeth and lurks in the ocean, I’ll read about it, watch films about it, talk about it and dream about it.
Related: Great white sharks: 10 myths debunked
In past summers, in 5ft of water at Duxbury, first swimming with my wife, now paddling with my daughters, I have never felt entirely at ease. Expecting an exploratory nibble from a confused sand tiger I have, literally, jumped at shadows.In past summers, in 5ft of water at Duxbury, first swimming with my wife, now paddling with my daughters, I have never felt entirely at ease. Expecting an exploratory nibble from a confused sand tiger I have, literally, jumped at shadows.
This year, from Monday, I will be positively terrified. But I will be incredibly happy, too.This year, from Monday, I will be positively terrified. But I will be incredibly happy, too.
Try feeling like that off Skegness.Try feeling like that off Skegness.