Lifeguards on high alert after shark sighting off the coast of Lido Beach

A shark sighting at Lido Beach isn’t stopping some Long Islanders from hitting the surf as temperatures soar Tuesday, but extra precautions have been taken to ensure their safety.

The Town of Hempstead launched drones into the water to monitor the coast for shark activity, and lifeguards patrolled the shore and rode jet skis to look for signs of dangerous marine life.

Lifeguard Jackson Castelli had a frightening encounter yesterday 25 feet from shore.

“As I was paddling parallel to the beach, I saw a blacktip reef shark,” he said. “I could tell because there was something black on its dorsal fin. It didn’t come out of the water, it just swam past me, about six to seven feet. And then I immediately went to shore because nobody wants to go in the water when something like that is nearby.”

The beaches were cleared for an hour. Hempstead Town Manager Don Clavin said beachgoers should expect this reaction if another shark is spotted – but each situation is treated on a case-by-case basis. He also said there have been an unusually high number of rescues on the beaches so far.

“This weekend alone, Saturday and Sunday, we were able to carry out 250 rescues on these waters. That is a record for two days,” explained Clavin.