The National Park Service has closed Stinson Beach to swimming and surfing until at least Friday after a great white shark was spotted in the area on Sunday afternoon.

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter spotted the 8-to-10-foot shark and immediately notified the Stinson Beach lifeguard station.

At the time, the beach was packed and lifeguards limited swimmers to knee-deep water. National Park Service rangers and lifeguards also patrolled the water on jet skis.

There were no other sightings, but the National Park Service said a several-day ban on swimming and surfing is standard following a shark sighting.

Photo Credit: Sharkdiver.com, via Wikimedia Commons

• Tag: closure, national park service, Shark Sighting, Stinson Beach, surfing, Swimming