Shark sighting temporarily closes Nassau County beaches as holiday crowds arrive
Town of Hempstead lifeguards saw the shark at about 10 a.m. on Thursday morning.
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A shark sighting temporarily forced swimmers out of the water at several Nassau County beaches Thursday, as extreme heat and the start of the Fourth of July holiday weekend drew large crowds to the shoreline.
A 9-foot shark was spotted about 20 yards offshore at Point Lookout Town Park at approximately 10:15 a.m., prompting lifeguards to clear the water and raise red flags. Nearby beaches were also temporarily closed as a precaution.
Jennifer Knott, of Oceanside, was on the beach when the shark was spotted.
"We heard someone yell 'shark' to the lifeguards," Knott said. "About 20 yards out there was a big shark. I've been going to the beach my whole life. First time that close. First time ever seeing a shark."
Town of Hempstead lifeguards responded by deploying Jet Skis and drones to monitor the area. After conducting a search, officials gave the all-clear and reopened the beaches around 11:15 a.m.
Less than an hour later, however, swimming was suspended again after the shark was spotted near Long Beach. Officials also closed the water there for about an hour before determining it was safe for swimmers to return.
Lifeguard Eamon Flynn said the beach staff followed established safety procedures immediately after spotting the animal.
"We blew the whistle. We took the green flags out. We red-flagged the beaches," Flynn said. "We followed protocol. We're trained in fin identification. There's no mistaking that was a shark."
The sighting comes as the Fourth of July weekend begins and a stretch of extreme heat sends more people to Long Island's beaches.
Hempstead Town Supervisor John Ferretti said lifeguards will remain on heightened alert throughout the holiday weekend.
"Safety always comes first," Ferretti said. "We will make sure we spot them, we identify them and when necessary close the beaches."
Despite the temporary closures, many beachgoers said they understood the precautions.
"We are all eager to go back in the water, but none of us want to see a shark," said Donna Trampas, of Merrick.
By later Thursday, lifeguards had once again declared the water safe, allowing swimmers to return to the ocean. Officials reminded visitors to swim only at beaches where lifeguards are on duty.
