Shark racing past NC’s Outer Banks was trying to outrun something, experts say

When a large great white shark sprints 153 miles in just over two days, it’s clearly in a hurry to get somewhere – or to get away from something.

The shark in question is a 10-foot, 3-inch female named Cayo, and researchers continue to marvel at her rapid journey past North Carolina’s treacherous Outer Banks.

Cayo was likely trying to avoid something, experts say, but it’s not what you might expect from a 689-pound apex predator.

“It’s freezing across the U.S. East Coast ... and white shark Cayo felt it, too,” OCEARCH shark researchers wrote in a Feb. 2 Facebook post.

“As a powerful nor’easter pushed through with icy air and strong winds, Cayo made a big move. ... It appears Cayo may have been moving toward more suitable conditions as colder temperatures set in — much like many of us seeking warmer weather this week.”

Cayo averaged a surprising 60 miles per day as the record-setting storm dumped up to 18 inches of snow on parts of North Carolina. It also pulled four Outer Banks homes into the Atlantic Ocean.

Cayo was near the Cape Lookout Shoals east of Wilmington on Wednesday, Feb. 4, and researchers are waiting to see what happens next.

Tracking tags used by OCEARCH have revealed white sharks use the East Coast like a highway in the winter, swimming from Canada to warmer waters off Florida. A rare few have been tracked all the way to the Texas coast, though experts aren’t sure why some travel that far.

Cayo was tagged in July off Nova Scotia by Tancook Islands Marine Field Station in collaboration with OCEARCH. She has since traveled 2,786 miles in 188 days, tracking shows.

This story was originally published February 4, 2026 at 11:23 AM with the headline "Shark racing past NC’s Outer Banks was trying to outrun something, experts say."