White shark at the surface. Image from Discovery News/Mass DMF

Most of my linking now takes place on Twitter, but I thought it’s about high time I did a quick recap of the summer’s New England great white sightings so far.  It’s looking to be the sharkiest summer so far, and yet again I find myself regretting being down south (yes, we have plenty of sharks down here, but…).

Sightings continue in the Chatham-Monomoy Point area of Cape Cod, Mass., but here’s the kicker, apparently these shark sightings are early.  The usual peak in white shark sightings occurs in August-September, but here we are in July with sharks being documented in New England waters since early May.  Is Cape Cod rapidly emerging as the Atlantic’s great white hot spot, or are sightings just being better documented?

Sightings are awesome, but even more awesome is that the science is really starting to come together for this population of sharks.  Dr. Greg Skomal of the Mass DMF is on the case, and is already seeing sharks that are defying the migration patterns that have just begun to emerge.  The white sharks of New England are also getting their time in the spotlight on Shark Week, with a documentary of their own called “Jaws Comes Home.”

Exciting stuff going on in my old homeland.  I’ll keep on the look out for more news on those salty New England great whites.