Cue the Jaw theme…
A fin was spotted in Pleasure Bay – yes, inside of the Lagoon, on Thursday afternoon. One CIS reader send us the following footage. Is it a shark? Is it a baby whale, Jay? Or maybe it’s a Mola mola.
The mola mola, also known as the ocean sunfish, is a large bony fish that the New England Aquarium has studied and rescued. The mola mola is often mistaken for a white shark because of its large, triangular dorsal fin. However, a mola mola’s dorsal fin is tall and narrow with a rounded top, while a white shark’s dorsal fin is wider with a sloped front and straight trailing edge.
The unusual swimming behavior of the common mola often alerts us to the presence of this animal at the water’s surface. As the fish lies on its side, the dorsal fin flops up and down causing a disturbance at the water’s surface.
In the past, there have been mola mola swimming in Pleasure Bay and one was spotted in the Fort Point Channel, so they are in the area. We have to admit, the mola mola is more frightening looking than a shark but then again, we freak out if we see seaweed in the ocean.