Great White shark stuns Florida fishermen: 'It was a monster'

Fishermen spot massive great white shark off Cape Canaveral

Fishermen off Florida’s Space Coast captured video of a massive great white shark swimming just feet from their boat, a rare sight in the region.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida fishing captain got a rare glimpse of a giant great white shark off the state’s coast.

He captured the encounter on camera and described it as "a monster."

The shark sighting

The backstory:

The encounter happened so quickly that Captain Blair Wiggins initially thought he was looking at a different species altogether, like a Manta Ray or a Whale Shark.

"How about that guys, that’s a great white shark," Wiggins said, capturing the moment on camera. "I was so enamored by seeing such a giant creature. It was cool."

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Wiggins said the sheer scale of the animal was hard to comprehend, even for a seasoned pro.

"I literally tried to measure when it was under the boat," Wiggins said. "I could not put my arms halfway around that fish. It was a monster."

Why the sighting is rare

While Florida’s coastal waters are home to many shark species, seeing a Great White this size is a rarity for locals. For Wiggins, the sighting was a significant milestone in a long career.

"It made me feel like, you know, I was pretty special that day," Wiggins said. "The second time in my life. I’ve been here 60 years on this earth and have seen a great white twice now."

However, experts say we may see more of these in the coming weeks. Dr. Toby Daly-Engel, a shark researcher at Florida Tech, explains that seasonal migrations are currently in full swing.

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"In general, we see white sharks coming down to the southern states, Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico right around now," Dr. Daly-Engel said. "Sharks really like it when it’s kind of a medium temperature, not too hot, not too cold."

As these sharks chase warmer water and look for food, the Florida coast becomes a primary highway for the species, which can grow up to 18 feet long and live for hundreds of years.

Why you shouldn't be scared

With Spring Break approaching and more people heading to the beaches, a 15-foot predator might seem like a reason to stay on the sand. But experts say there is no need for panic. Great Whites typically prefer deeper waters and rarely venture close to the shoreline where swimmers congregate.

Dr. Daly-Engel emphasizes that the statistical risk of a shark encounter remains incredibly low compared to everyday activities.

"You’re more likely to get killed by a selfie than a shark," Dr. Daly-Engel noted. "You’re more likely to get killed by a Grand Canyon than a shark."

Captain Wiggins believes this specific shark wasn’t tagged, but he alerted researchers to be aware.