Brett Barley surrounded by hundreds of spinner sharks in massive feeding frenzy, North Carolina
A man has captured the terrifying moment he found himself surrounded by sharks during a chaotic and unexpected ocean encounter.
A fisherman has captured the heart-stopping moment he found himself surrounded by hundreds of sharks during a massive feeding frenzy off the coast of North Carolina.
Brett Barley was enjoying a routine fishing trip near Cape Hatteras when the ocean suddenly erupted around him, with spinner sharks launching from the water in all directions.
Dramatic GoPro footage shows the predators thrashing violently as they chased a dense school of baitfish, creating what Mr Barley later described as a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.
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Sharing the footage on Instagram, Mr Barley wrote: “A MASSIVE Shark Feeding Frenzy Engulfed my @seadoo while I was out fishing today!
“Hundreds of Sharks eating bait over a 4-acre wide area… a full-on Nat Geo moment if I’ve ever had one!
“The things you see in Cape Hatteras never cease to amaze me!”
Spinner sharks are known for their acrobatic hunting style, often leaping dramatically from the water as they attack schools of fish. The behaviour can create chaotic scenes when large numbers gather to feed at once.
As the frenzy intensified, Mr Barley’s shock is audible in the footage.
“This is crazy. This is insane. An absolute feeding frenzy,” he says.
At one point, as sharks repeatedly broke the surface nearby, he added: “If you see a lot of sharks above the surface, there’s probably more below,” before yelling: “Get me out of here!”
Despite the adrenaline-filled encounter, Mr Barley later admitted he would not willingly repeat the experience.
“10/10 would not recommend being in the middle of a ball of Spinner Sharks though…I’m very fortunate one didn’t sky right into me or all my gear,” he said.
The waters off North Carolina are known for diverse marine life, with the state ranking among the top five locations in the United States for unprovoked shark encounters.
The region has previously made headlines for dramatic shark interactions, including footage of fishermen working together to release a 13-foot great white shark off Hatteras Island.
The latest encounter highlights the unpredictable nature of ocean wildlife, particularly during feeding events when large numbers of predators converge in a concentrated area.
While spinner sharks are not typically considered a major threat to humans, experts say being caught in the middle of a feeding frenzy can pose serious risks due to the heightened activity and reduced visibility beneath the surface.
For Mr Barley, the experience delivered a powerful reminder of the ocean’s raw intensity — and a story unlikely to be forgotten any time soon.
