A study released in 2021, partially authored by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy out of Chatham, said that white sharks spend about 47% of their time ?at depths of less than 15 feet but frequently traveled further out, alternating between the surf zone and deeper offshore waters,? according to a statement.

Yes, great white sharks frequently travel near the shore, often swimming in water as shallow as 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.5 meters). Research in 2026 confirms that juvenile and sub-adult great whites utilize "nursery" areas very close to the coastline, particularly in regions like Southern California and South Africa, where they feed on rays and small fish. Large adults also venture near the shore, especially near seal colonies or "haul-out" sites, where they utilize the shallow, murky surf zone to ambush prey. While they are often much closer to swimmers than people realize, they rarely interact with humans. Modern "Shark Eye" drone programs have shown that great whites often swim past surfers without any aggressive behavior, but surfers and swimmers are still advised to avoid "river mouths" or areas with heavy seal activity where the sharks are most likely to be hunting.