Greg Wilfert was in the water off Scarborough Beach State Park on Saturday afternoon when something grabbed the rescue torpedo he was holding and yanked him under. For a moment, the veteran lifeguard thought a boat propeller had caught him. But there was no boat. It was a great white shark.
“I thought I was caught in a boat propeller,” Wilfert said. “There’s no fish that’s going to do that.” The shark pulled him about five to six feet below the surface before he managed to free himself from the strap attached to the flotation device and swim back to shore, unharmed. He later admitted it was frightening.
A bystander told town officials they saw the rescue torpedo shoot up out of the water six to eight feet just after Wilfert started swimming back. The incident led to a temporary closure of the beach for about an hour while lifeguards and public safety personnel assessed the situation. John Chisholm, a shark expert at the New England Aquarium, reviewed the reported activity and corroborated the account.
The encounter follows a troubling stretch along Maine’s southern coast, where at least a dozen sharks have been spotted near popular beaches in recent days. Daryen Granata, Scarborough’s marine resources officer, said he’s seen more sharks this season than in his 30-plus years on the job. “Usually we’ll see one or two here and there,” Granata said. “This is a large volume, larger than I’ve seen.”
Officials along the East Coast say sharks are showing up closer to shore in places they typically avoid. Chris Fischer, founder of the nonprofit OCEARCH, attributes the trend to conservation efforts that have boosted marine life populations. “We’re gonna see more of everything, including more sharks,” Fischer said. He advises beachgoers to stay alert and steer clear of areas with lots of life.
Multiple great white sharks have been observed off Scarborough Beach State Park and nearby Higgins Beach, moving through nearshore waters and sandbars. Last week, nearly a dozen young sharks were spotted within 48 hours off Pine Point Beach in Scarborough. In response, the town has lifeguards positioned closer to shore, a jet ski patrolling the water and a drone overhead. Guests are only allowed to wade waist-deep, and Wilfert, now in his 55th year as a lifeguard, said, “We’re not taking any chances.”
Despite the heightened activity, shark encounters remain rare. The International Shark Attack File reported just 25 unprovoked bites last year. Still, officials are urging beachgoers to pay close attention to lifeguards, avoid swimming near schools of fish or seals, and exit the water immediately if instructed. The Scarborough Public Safety Team continues to monitor the situation and will share updates as warranted.
