Photographer Sean Scott caught both a rare and terrifying image as he flew his drone just off the coast of Western Australia’s Red Bluff Beach.
While watching the footage later, Scott realized that not only were there a handful of children floating and playing in the water, but there were also hundreds of bronze whaler sharks lurking beneath them. However, as he explained, the sharks weren’t there for the humans, but rather the giant bait ball of fish that was dangling nearby.
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“Watching these beautiful sharks flourish in their natural environment was a privilege to see,” Scott told A Current Affair. “There was a huge bait ball that attracted hundreds of mainly bronze whaler sharks. What really impressed me was how people and the sharks were co existing side by side.”
Scott added that there were dozens of people diving and surfing very close by as well, but the sharks showed “no interest in them and were happy concentrating on the bait ball.” He noted that beyond the sharks he also spotted turtles and humpback whales in the same location.
“I have also been out swimming with the manta rays, whale sharks, and the ocean life here is second to none,” he said.
Scott doesn’t want this footage to alarm or scare people out of the water, but instead he wants it to inspire action and “common sense” when it comes to these majestic sea creatures.
“I really hope it shows that, in a healthy environment like we had there, with so many fish and not over-fished places, that the sharks can live side by side with the people,” he said. “You’ve just got to use a bit of common sense. Give them a wide berth and leave them to themselves, it seems to work great.”