The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a coastal hazard statement for Carolina Beach following a significant increase in shark sightings reported just offshore. Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue observed multiple sharks in the surf zone during the afternoon hours, prompting immediate alerts.
Alongside this spike in marine predator activity, dangerous rip currents have developed across the Carolina coastline. According to the NWS, conditions will remain hazardous through 8:00 p.m. on Monday, July 7.
Rip currents are particularly perilous today. The NWS warns that these strong, narrow currents can pull even experienced swimmers far from the shore and into deep, open water. Beachgoers are urged to stay close to lifeguards and remain within monitored swimming zones.
If caught in a rip current, the guidance remains clear: stay calm, float, and avoid swimming against the flow. Instead, swimmers should try to move parallel to the shoreline, and if unable to break free, face the beach and signal for help.
Conditions this week, including warm waters and consistent onshore winds, are contributing to both the presence of sharks and the intensity of rip currents in the Carolina Beach area.
