Local police urged people to stay out of the water at Lovers Point after a seal was reportedly bitten and blood was seen in Monterey Bay.
Story Snapshot
- Pacific Grove police advised against water activities at Lovers Point after shark activity.
- Reports link the warning to a bitten seal and blood in the water near the beach.
- Five great white sharks were spotted off Marina the same week, including a large adult.
- Officials say fall often brings great whites back to the Central Coast.
Police Advisory Focused On Water Safety At Lovers Point
Pacific Grove police advised people not to enter the water at Lovers Point Beach on October 23, 2026. The beach stayed open on land, but officers discouraged swimming, surfing, and paddling after shark activity was reported in the area. Local station KSBW said the department recommended against water activities while noting the shoreline itself was not closed. The report did not list fines or barriers. It framed the move as a safety step while conditions were reviewed.
The New York Post said the police guidance followed a seal reportedly being bitten near Lovers Point, with blood seen in the water. That detail gave a clear and nearby reason for caution. The Post attributed the account to the Pacific Grove Police Department via the California Post. The report did not include a formal species identification for the shark involved at Lovers Point. It also did not share officer names or an incident number tied to the seal injury.
Regional Sightings Raised Awareness Beyond One Beach
The same week, five great white sharks were spotted about 200 yards off a beach near Sanctuary Beach Resort in Marina. Drone video shared by a tour operator showed four juveniles and one larger female estimated over 14 feet long, according to KSBW. California State Parks also issued a shark advisory for Marina State Beach after a great white breached near shore and urged people to be careful in the water. These actions showed a broader regional pattern.
City warnings at Lovers Point are not new when sharks are seen nearby. In past cases, the City of Monterey has posted signs at access points after local sightings to alert beachgoers until conditions improved. Those steps focus on risk awareness more than strict closures and help align local practices with nearby park advisories. The aim is to slow water use while wildlife is active, then remove signs once the risk falls to normal seasonal levels.
Why Officials Act Quickly In The Fall Season
California State Parks told KSBW that fall is a common time for great white sharks to return to Central Coast waters. Cooler water, prey movements, and typical migration patterns bring more sharks closer to shore this time of year. Advisories often follow sightings or marine mammal bites, because those signs can mean active feeding nearby. Agencies prefer to caution early, then reassess, rather than wait for a direct human encounter to confirm the risk window.
Shark attacks remain rare in California, even as sightings rise with more drones and more people on beaches. State and scientific sources put the long-run average at under two white shark encounters per year across the coast, and describe the overall danger as very low. Risk drops further when people avoid areas with active seals or bait fish and heed posted signs. The advisory at Lovers Point fits that playbook: alert the public, scale back water use, and monitor conditions.
Sources:
© patriotsunited.org 2026. All rights reserved.
