We've all heard about the sharks on Nantucket, here's some other places to cool off

Cue the ominous theme from Jaws: They’ve closed the beaches. After four seals were killed by white sharks near a Nantucket beach and several were sighted in the area, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Trustees of Reservations made the decision to close the Great Point beach to swimming as of July 10.

While no beachgoers have had any run-ins with sharks, swimmers are currently banned from Great Point, located on the northernmost tip of Nantucket within the Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge.

How do we know when sharks are in the water? 

Vacationers and residents have posted multiple videos to social media showing the sharks preying on seals at Great Point, which is fairly remote, even for Nantucket, so if anyone is injured in the area, it would be difficult to treat. 

Why are the sharks around Cape Cod and the Islands?

Great white sharks are known to hunt for seals in shallow water, and there’s been a resurgence of gray seals since protections were put in place in the 1960s and 1970s.The rise of the white shark population off Cape Cod has been linked to the growing seal population. 

Sarah Cassell, the managing director of marketing and communications for The Trustees of Reservations, said the swimming closure is in effect in the waters beyond mile marker 5 on the refuge land, reports MassLive.

“After several shark sightings and predation in the area, we’ve decided to implement a swimming closure around Great Point until further notice. This is not a decision we’ve made lightly,” Cassell said.

While great whites do head to the Cape to feed,  it’s important to they are mobile animals and don’t stay in one area long. According to the most recent data from the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy’s Sharktivity app, white shark sightings were reported at Great Point on July 1 and July 4.

Where else can we go swimming – without sharks?

If you’d prefer to skip the beaches on the Cape and the Islands, we understand. The good news? There are plenty of beaches and pools near Boston that have, so far, not had any shark sightings. 

Best beaches in and around Boston

Devereux Beach is about a ten-minute walk from Marblehead's quaint Colonial center. This slim, sandy stretch includes a concession stand, pavilions, benches, picnic tables, restroom facilities, and parking, making it a great spot for a family day. Want to keep it even closer? Carson Beach as well as the M and L Street Beaches form a three-mile stretch lining Dorchester Bay, just south of Pleasure Bay and Castle Island.

See more of our picks for the best beaches in Boston

Best pools in Boston

One of our favorites, The Colonnade Hotel’s iconic rooftop pool (RTP) is a place not only to swim, but also to party outdoors, high above the city all summer long. This is one of the few hotel pools that allows non-guests. We also love the pool at the Intercontinental, which requires a day pass. For families, try Magazine Beach and Veterans Memorial Pool, with a pool and a splash deck, free for all through August. 

See more of our picks for the best pools in Boston.