Chopper video shows kayaker in open water near great white off Santa Cruz Co. coast

APTOS, Calif. (KTVU) - Chopper footage from a Specialized Helicopters tour shows a scary moment as a kayaker was out of his kayak - in open water - with sharks nearby. 

The incident occurred Monday afternoon near the famous cement ship, off the coast of Seacliff State Beach in Santa Cruz County.

Video shows the kayaker climbing safely back into his kayak and paddling away. Luckily, the shark did not seem to notice the kayaker as the shark kept its distance. 

A birds-eye-view from the helicopter tour showed a group of great white sharks off the shore at Seacliff State Beach in Aptos at the time. Capt. Giancarlo Thomae with Specialized Helicopters, Inc. tells KTVU more than 15 mid-sized great whites were around the cement ship. The size of the sharks was estimated at 10 to 14'.

Thomae also captured photos of a large group of Orcas eating a gray baby whale nearby. 

It's not unheard of for sharks to be in the area of the famous cement ship. In May of 2016 Specialized Helicopters reported seeing 10 sharks in the same area. In June of 2015 we had a report on KTVU showing more than a dozen great whites in the area. 

Seacliff State Beach was in the news last week with the rare sighting of a deer swimming near the beach. The deer took a morning swim before scampering off. 

Additional details on the shark sightings at Seacliff Beach have not been released.