The Shark Just Spotted in Maine Waters is So Harmless You Could Probably Pet It

It's a really cool brag to talk about one of the most legendary movies ever created, JAWS, being filmed in New England, but it also probably ruined us a bit. Because even though more often than not, New Englanders thrive on being beach-goers and enjoying a hot day in the ocean, there's always that thought in the back of our minds.

What just hit my foot? What just swam by my leg?

Shark Sightings in Maine

To date (and hopefully forever), there's been only one fatal shark attack in Maine, according to the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, New Hampshire. It happened in July 2020 when a great white shark bit and unfortunately took the life of a New York City resident swimming off Bailey Island.

Although there have been shark sightings since then (Maine.gov lists a total of 1,042 white shark spotting in 2022), nothing like what happened off Bailey Island in 2020 happened before and, knock on wood, hasn't happened since.

Phippsburg, Maine, Shark Sighting

Monday morning, according to CBS 13, a shark was spotted and caught on video off the coast of Phippsburg, Maine, by Maine lobsterman Robert LaChance. And honestly, the thing is so ugly it's actually cute.

According to CBS 13, it was a "harmless basking shark."

Basking Sharks

According to Nat Geo WILD, basking sharks are the second largest species of sharks and can grow to more than 30 feet long. They literally just swim around filtering the ocean water and don't even have teeth, making them as harmless and adorable as a newborn baby or a grandparent that can't find their dentures.