A team of divers off the coast of Hawaii had a close encounter with one of the largest great white sharks on record, reportedly touching the massive predator. The shark, nearly 20 feet long and weighing an estimated 2.5 tonnes, is believed to be a tagged individual known as Deep Blue, first identified about 20 years ago.
The encounter occurred near Oahu's south shore, where the shark was attracted by the carcass of a dead sperm whale. Diver Ocean Ramsey told the Honolulu Star Advertiser that they were filming tiger sharks feeding on the whale when Deep Blue arrived. "We saw a few tigers and then she came up and all the other sharks split, and she started brushing up against the boat," Ramsey said.
Ramsey described the shark as a "big beautiful gentle giant" that used their boat as a scratching post. The shark stayed with the divers throughout the day. Deep Blue, estimated to be about 50 years old, has its own Twitter account. Great whites are rarely seen in Hawaiian waters, as they prefer cooler seas.
Ramsey noted that older, pregnant great white sharks are the safest to swim near, but cautioned against swimming where sharks are feeding. She said sharks only attack humans out of curiosity or mistaken identity, as reported by the Honolulu Star Advertiser.
