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Great white shark jumps out of water behind surfer at California beach
A beachgoer captured the rare moment that a shark leaped out of the water behind a surfer at California’s Newport Beach on July 25, 2026. (Credit: Soaren Stevenson via Storyful)
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - A beachgoer captured a remarkable and rare moment when a great white shark launched itself out of the water just behind a surfer at Newport Beach in Southern California.
Great white shark breach behind surfer
Big picture view:
The footage, recorded on Saturday, July 25, by Soaren Stevenson, shows the juvenile shark breaching and twisting through the air only yards behind his brother-in-law, who was surfing in the popular Southern California waters.
What They’re Saying: Stevenson told the video licensing company Storyful that neither he nor anyone else on the beach noticed the shark during the incident because his attention was focused on his brother-in-law.
"We didn’t see the shark at first because my eyes were locked in on my brother-in-law," Stevenson shared. "Later on, however, when we were reviewing the footage, we all were in shock. I couldn’t believe I had captured that on video."
A beachgoer captured the rare moment that a shark leaped out of the water behind a surfer at California’s Newport Beach on Saturday, July 25. (Credit: Soaren Stevenson via Storyful)
After replaying the video, Stevenson initially thought he had spotted a dolphin before zooming in and realizing it was a shark.
"I was like, 'That's not even a dolphin—that's a shark,'" he told FOX News Digital. "He definitely didn't know how close it was."
Despite growing up in Hawaii and encountering sharks before, his brother-in-law described the event as "a once-in-a-lifetime-type experience."
Shark encounters remain rare in California
Dig deeper:
While the footage appears alarming, experts emphasize that shark encounters with people remain uncommon in California.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, fewer than 250 shark incidents involving all species have been documented in the state since 1950. The agency also notes that incidents have not increased in proportion to growing beach attendance and the rising popularity of activities such as surfing, swimming and scuba diving.
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The experience gave Stevenson a new appreciation for the marine life that shares the ocean with surfers and swimmers.
"It's kind of surreal to think that the shark is in the same waters as my [brother-in-law], and he didn't even know it," Stevenson said. "It just makes me realize that when you go out there to surf, you can come way closer to such a beast than you ever think you [would]."
Despite the close encounter, Stevenson said he doesn't plan to stay out of the water.
The rare sighting came as Shark Week 2026 got underway, a coincidence Stevenson described as "funny."
The Source: This story was reported from Los Angeles. Storyful, FOX News contributed.