Video: Shark Researcher Has Close Call With Great White Off Cape

ORLEANS, MA — It turns out being a marine biologists requires cat-like reflexes, especially when working in Cape Cod waters, that are known to have sharks. On Nov. 11, researcher Greg Skomal, of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, was using an underwater camera to study great whites with the Atlantic Shark Conservancy off Nauset Beach.

Then, out of know where, a 9-foot female great white shark jumped from water right under a boat platform Skomal was standing on. Footage from the conservancy showed the shark right under Skomal's feet, as he quickly jumped away to avoid its lunge.

Conservancy officials said breaching encounters don't happen all the time, but they've seen it happen before and have received several reports of breaching great white sharks from fisherman and boaters over the last few years.

"While encounters like this one are rare, this video shows that they can occur," conservancy officials said in Facebook post. "White sharks are wild and unpredictable animals. This is a good reminder of the importance of following safety tips and always staying vigilant when in or on the water."

The shark was later tagged as part of a movement study and was identified for the white shark catalog, according to the post.