A tour boat near Nazaré, Portugal, recorded a 3–4 meter (10–13 ft) shark circling their vessel about two nautical miles offshore. Crew and operator Nuno Santos reported the animal behaved calmly and displayed a white belly, which could suggest a great white, though experts say identification is unconfirmed. Marine biologists are now analyzing the footage; confirmed great whites off continental Portugal would be exceptionally rare and could have implications for the big-wave surfing community.
Possible Great White Circles Tour Boat Off Nazaré — Rare Shark Sighting Near World’s Biggest Waves (Video)
Possible Great White Shark Glides Into Nazaré Lineup, Stuns Portugal’s Big-Wave Hotspot (Video)
Nazaré, Portugal — A tour boat crew recorded footage of a very large shark circling their vessel roughly two nautical miles offshore between São Martinho do Porto and Nazaré, a region famous for some of the world's biggest and most dangerous surf. The encounter, captured during an Ocean Adventures excursion, has drawn interest from local scientists and international marine biologists.
The animal was estimated at about 3 to 4 meters (10–13 ft) in length and reportedly displayed calm, curious behavior before swimming back into deeper water. Crew members say they never felt threatened.
“This morning, while out for a trip between São Martinho do Porto and Nazaré—about two nautical miles offshore—we spotted a large shark. The animal, measuring approximately 3 to 4 meters in length, approached our boat and swam around us for a brief moment. We were unable to identify the species, so we are sharing some videos here in the hope that marine biology experts might offer their insights. It is also worth noting that we never felt threatened; the animal displayed calm behavior and even appeared curious.”
Nuno Santos, who runs Ocean Adventures, told Portuguese outlet SIC Notícias that the shark showed a white ventral area, which could indicate a great white (Carcharodon carcharias). However, experts caution that color alone is not definitive and that further analysis of the video and any additional sightings is needed to confirm species.
Why This Sighting Is Unusual
Great white sharks are highly migratory and follow seasonal patterns tied to water temperatures and prey, particularly marine mammals. While individual great whites have been recorded in the Mediterranean and occasionally in the broader North Atlantic, confirmed sightings along continental Portugal are extremely rare. Unlike well-known great-white hunting grounds such as South Africa, California, or Cape Cod, Portugal's mainland coast lacks the large seal colonies that commonly attract hunting whites.
What Researchers Will Look For
Marine biologists reviewing the footage will assess size, fin shape, swimming behavior, and coloration patterns (including the white belly) to try to identify the species. They will also consider oceanographic conditions and recent reports from nearby coastal communities and operators.
The video — first reported by Surfer on Jul 25, 2026 — has generated widespread curiosity because of Nazaré's prominence in the big-wave surfing community. If great whites were to frequent the Nazaré lineup, it would be an unusual and potentially significant development ahead of the winter surf season. For now, the encounter remains an intriguing, unconfirmed sighting under scientific review.
Key facts: sighting ~2 nautical miles offshore; estimated 3–4 m (10–13 ft); calm, curious behavior; white ventral area noted; species unconfirmed; experts are analyzing footage.
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