Surfers in California thought they were inches from death when a 'shark' poked out of the ocean off the coast of California.
A photographer captured the heart-stopping moment while on the beach of Monterey Bay, showing two men frozen on their boards as 'something quite large' swam near them.
The shark-like dorsal fine poked out of the water, sparking fear for nearly dozens of spectators on the beach, but the creature revealed itself to be a large ocean sunfish.
Eric Mendelson, who photographed the scene, said he was thrilled by the sight, noting he had never seen one in the 40 years he has lived in the area.
Mendelson captured the images from Cowell's Beach, Santa Cruz on June 24 as he walked to a bluff overlooking the water and noticed about 10 people looking out into the bay.
'There were two surfers in the ocean watching something quite large swimming near them,' he told Pen News.
'Another surfer who'd got out of the water told me he came ashore because he'd seen what he thought was a large shark and pointed out the creature everyone was looking at.'
Sharks are common in Monterey Bay, and great white sharks – the world's largest predatory fish – visit seasonally in late summer.
The predators began migrating into the area for the past 10 years, first appearing around 2014.
Beachgoers have reported more sightings in 2024 than in previous years.
But the two surfers had luck on their side when the creature turned out to be a harmless sunfish 'basking in the shallow water,' said Mendelson.
'Partially submerged with just its dorsal fin protruding from the water, it could easily be mistaken for a shark as you saw from one of my photos,' he continued.
The ocean sunfish, or Mola mola, is giant and flat with a tiny mouth and large eyes.
The creature can weigh up to 5,000 pounds and measure up 10 feet long, making it the world's heaviest bony fish.
A great white shark weighs up to 2,400 pounds and measures up to 16 feet long.
'[Ocean sunfish] are rare to see as close to shore as this one was, although they are not terribly uncommon out in the open ocean,' Mendelson said.
''I have lived near the beach in Santa Cruz for over forty years and this was the first time I've ever seen one in the wild.
'I saw one in the Monterey Bay Aquarium several years ago, but it had to be released because it outgrew its tank.
'Despite their enormity, they are docile animals, harmless to humans.'
