Overview

• On May 26, diners at Dead Eye Dick’s restaurant on Block Island captured video of a large dorsal fin gliding through the Great Salt Pond
• The Atlantic Shark Institute confirmed the creature was a filter-feeding basking shark and posed no threat to humans
• After the institute shared the clip on Instagram, it amassed over six million views by Wednesday morning
• Experts say the shark spent roughly 24 hours in the pond before exiting through tidal channels early Wednesday
• Basking sharks can grow up to 50 feet and weigh 10,000 pounds, and researchers note daily shark arrivals as New England waters warm