Devin Jacobs
Ever wonder what it’s like to meet a school bus with teeth? Along U.S. coastlines, a few massive great whites have made headlines for their size and mystery. These ocean giants aren’t just big—they’re legends. Let’s dive deep and meet ten of the most jaw-dropping sharks around.
Deep Blue
A colossal great white measuring approximately 20 feet, Deep Blue, was documented off Oahu, Hawaii, in 2019 by a National Geographic crew. Experts estimate she is over 50 years old and possibly pregnant at the time of the sighting. Known to marine researchers, she even has her own Twitter handle, the “@Deep_Blue_Shark.”
Nukumi
Measuring 17 feet and weighing 3,542 pounds, Nukumi was identified by OCEARCH near Nova Scotia in 2020. She’s been tracked along the U.S. East Coast and is one of only two tagged sharks to cross the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. They call her the “Queen of the Ocean,” and she’s thought to be about 50 years old.
Katherine
Katherine is a 14-foot shark first found off Cape Cod and later tracked all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Named after a researcher’s daughter, she’s made headlines with her record-breaking swimming range. With more than 100,000 fans following her on shark tracking apps, she’s a true celebrity of the sea.
Ironbound
Tagged in Nova Scotia, Ironbound weighs 1,189 pounds and stretches 12.4 feet in length. He’s commonly tracked off New Jersey and has traveled more than 13,000 miles. His name was inspired by Ironbound Island, and his consistent midnight pings suggest intriguing nighttime activity—data that helps scientists better understand shark behavior in open waters.
Luna
She’s known for diving deeper than 1,000 feet and following a consistent route between Florida and Nova Scotia. First found by OCEARCH off Nova Scotia, Luna is a 15-foot great white frequently tracked in U.S. waters. Her name? A nod to her rare nighttime surfacings, which fascinated researchers during the early tracking period.
Hilton
Marked near Hilton Head Island, he surprised researchers with a ping near Bermuda after traveling from South Carolina to New York. Hilton stretches 12.5 feet and has quickly made a name for himself. His frequent updates via OCEARCH’s social media have helped fuel public interest in shark tracking and migration behavior.
Miss Costa
Miss Costa is a 12-foot great white shark tagged off Cape Cod. Frequently spotted near Florida, she’s named after sponsor Costa Sunglasses. Her movements include extensive long-distance swims, highlighting her endurance. Notably, she once pinged near the Bahamas, which reinforced patterns of wide-ranging travel common among mature female white sharks.
Breton
Measuring 13 feet and weighing 1,437 pounds, Breton was identified off Nova Scotia and often surfaces near Florida. Named after Cape Breton Island, he’s recognized for zigzagging migrations along the U.S. East Coast. One notable movement included a ping off North Carolina, captured during a particularly fast migration stretch.
Maple
Maple is easily recognized thanks to a notable dorsal scar and measures 11.5 feet in length. First marked off Nova Scotia and later spotted near South Carolina, her name is derived from the iconic Canadian maple leaf. She appears to favor the Gulf Stream’s warm currents that make her a reliable subject for studying regional shark preferences.
Haole Girl
She was initially misidentified as Deep Blue during her observation while feeding on a whale carcass, but was soon recognized as different. Haole Girl is a great white shark estimated at 20 feet in length and 8 feet in width, first documented near Oahu in January 2019. Her infrequent appearances have contributed to her enigmatic status in marine records.