Chilling drone footage has captured a heart-stopping moment off Capistrano Beach in Orange County, California, where a group of surfers repeatedly circled and fell into the water, completely oblivious to three great white sharks lurking just yards beneath them.
The incident occurred on August 21 as the surfers used a speedboat (and in one sequence, a Jet Ski) to tow each other around in the same patch of ocean. From above, the sharks appear as unmistakable silhouettes gliding silently below the surface, passing within feet of the surfers who were paddling, falling, and resting on their boards while waiting for the next tow.
Professional photographer Matt Larmand, who lives in the area and had spent the summer trying to capture footage of great whites, shot the video from a quarter of a mile away. With no means of alerting the surfers to the danger, Larmand could only watch in disbelief as the close encounter unfolded.
“It was almost like they could care less they were there,” Larmand told the Orange County Register.
“One of the clips I have, the guy being towed by the Jet Ski, they were going by and went past by six to seven feet away, and the shark could care less if they went right past him. The sharks were being really mellow. I was freaking out. I was like, ‘He has no idea there’s a shark right next to them.’ He was just sitting there, he had no clue. I would be freaking out if I was him, it was just insane to watch.”
Larmand estimated that one of the sharks measured at least eight feet in length, describing it as a large juvenile. According to experts, sharks in the six-to-seven-foot range are often more docile, primarily seeking warmer water and smaller prey such as stingrays. Larger juveniles, however, tend to be more curious — and therefore potentially more dangerous — as they investigate their surroundings.
Great whites are known to occasionally mistake swimmers and surfers paddling on boards for prey like seals or dolphins, making the surfers’ unawareness particularly perilous.
The footage builds to a tense conclusion as the two men are seen climbing back onto their boat and peering into the water, apparently realizing for the first time the danger they had been in.
After Larmand posted the dramatic clips to his Facebook page, social media users reacted with a mix of shock and awe.
“This is why I stick to the beach!” one commenter wrote.
Another added: “This is amazing footage. I love our healthy sea life.”
The video serves as a vivid reminder of the wild proximity between humans and marine predators along California’s coast. While the surfers emerged unharmed, the drone’s bird’s-eye perspective reveals just how thin the margin of safety can be in waters where great whites roam. Thanks to Larmand’s footage, viewers can now witness the heart-pounding encounter that the surfers themselves never knew they were part of.