Two surfers saw a great white shark off Silver Strand State Beach Thursday, prompting lifeguards to post advisory notices for other beach-goers.

The shark was 30 to 40 feet away while the pair was surfing shortly before 9 a.m., said John Andersen, a state parks peace officer and lifeguard.

“They got out of the water pretty quickly” and reported the sighting, Anderson said.

He said the sighting seemed credible, based on their description of the 8-foot creature. It was about half a mile north of the state park entrance off Silver Strand Boulevard near Coronado Cays Boulevard.


Anderson said in his eight years at the state beach, he’s hasn’t heard of a great white shark being seen close to shore.

“It’s unusual,” he said. “(But) it is their habitat. They’re always there.”

Lifeguards warned a paddle-boarder and a couple of other people on the beach. They also posted advisory notices one mile to the north and south of where the shark had been seen. Andersen said the advisories will stay up for 24 hours, unless they are extended by new sightings.

He urged anyone who sees a shark to make note of its size, color, fin shape and any other distinctive features and to report it to lifeguards right away.