Mako sharks, tiger sharks, seeing those types of apex predators in Hawaiian waters is fairly normal. But great whites, known for inhabiting cooler seas, are a rare sight in the the warm embrace of the South Pacific. But water photographer Deron Verbeck recently had a run in with a 15-foot white off of Keahole Point on the Big Island. As he tells it, the white wasn’t threatening and most likely found its way to Hawaiian waters after following migrating whales. Still, Verbeck got a good look at this fish.
Yes, great whites are rare, but sightings do occur in the fall and winter when waters often cool. Ocean Ramsey came face-to-face with a 20-foot great white feeding on a dead sperm whale in 2019 in Hawaiian waters. The apex predator has certainly been seen patrolling the Islands before.
Editor’s Note: Learn how to minimize chances of an adverse shark encounter as well as critical information about shark behavior, shark personalities, shark language, what to do in the unlikely event of a shark bite, and more during 20-plus video lessons in Ocean Ramsey’s Guide to Sharks and Safety.
