A TikTok of a massive shark went hugely viral, reminding people that the ocean is vast and terrifying. Seattle student Alex Albrecht was aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer when he recorded the eerie footage of a giant shark swimming around the ship as the occupants screeched with a mix of terror and delight. The 20-year-old shared the footage on TikTok with the caption “Sailed six weeks in the Atlantic saw this big f—— shark.” The video has been viewed over 30 million times and gotten over 5 million likes.
People in the comments were quick to point out that the basking shark, although the second-largest type of shark behind the whale shark, has a plankton-based diet and poses no threat to humans. Still, people filled the comment section with jokes that it was the return of a “Megalodon” shark while also expressing their fear of the sea. “Them standing that close gives me anxiety,” commented one viewer. “Nah I am scared to jump in god that is so scary,” another person quipped.
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@.alex.albrecht Sailed six weeks in the atlantic saw this big fucking shark
♬ original sound – Alex Albrecht
Albrecht shared a bit of his experience with The Sun Online, revealing that the footage was taken off the coast of New England. “I was sailing on the SSV Corwith Cramer on a semester program with Sea Education Association studying Marine Biodiversity and Conservation,” Albrecht explained. “We also were being trained as tallship crew, so we sailed the boat ourselves as students. The video is taken from high up on the mast, where you can climb to tend to rigging or enjoy the view.”
Albrecht is glad that the video has gotten so much coverage and he hopes that it raises some awareness for the importance of ocean conservation. “I’m so grateful to be able to share such a wonderful creature with so many people, I hope it makes people want to protect and conserve biodiversity in our oceans,” the student explained.
