On the 50th anniversary of Jaws, are we headed for a real-life Amity Island catastrophe with rising shark encounters off Cape Cod, or is the hype around white sharks getting way overblown? What’s really drawing these apex predators back to our shores, and how worried should beachgoers be?
This week on The Backcountry Manifesto, Dr. Greg Skomal — the leading expert on Atlantic white sharks — dives deep into the world of sharks, fatal attacks, and close calls. From the chilling 1936 Massachusetts man-eater incident that shaped public fear, to how Jaws ignited his career and sparked a frenzy of shark tournaments, we break it all down. Greg unpacks naval disasters like the USS Indianapolis, pioneering tagging tech from the ’60s, the Marine Mammal Protection Act’s role in seal population booms (and shark comebacks), revolutionary underwater robots like Shark Cam, epic expeditions to Guadalupe Island where sharks attacked his gear, and his heart-stopping near-miss while tagging a massive white shark. Plus, we tackle the tragic 2018 fatal attack, community fallout echoing Jaws, and lingering mysteries like white shark breeding grounds. Greg also shares stories from his book Chasing Shadows, blending adventure with science from Arctic Greenland sharks to Red Sea whale sharks.
If you’re hooked on sharks, marine biology, or the thrill of ocean predators without the sensationalism, this episode is your ultimate deep dive.
Links mentioned in this video
- Chasing Shadows Book
- Greg’s Instagram
- Greg’s Facebook
- Greg’s X
- Our episode with Jack Horner, Paleontologist
- Our episode with Molly Curran, WHOI
- EuanArt Instagram
Connect
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Sponsors
- Special thanks to our partners at Shared Pour! Visit SharedPour.com – Use code “BACKCOUNTRY” for 10% off at checkout.
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Credits
- Intro and Animations by Barry Thompson
- Photograph Contributions for Animation by Carver Weeks
- Additional Graphics by Andrew O’Neill
- Production Assistance by John Stock
- “Welcome to the Backcountry” theme song by Logan Roth, Will Brown, Arjun Dube and produced at Treacle Mine Studios, Phila, PA
- Copyright Outdoor Visions Media LLC, 2025
