Check out some of the strangest stories in the maritime world! Manatee Seen in Massachusetts for the First Time Since 2016 A manatee was spotted off the coast of Massachusetts for the first time in nearly a decade. The threatened species was first seen on July 26 off the southwestern coast of Cape Cod. A few days later, the manatee was seen stranded on tidal flats in Mattapoisett. Bystanders pushed it back into the water, and it hasn’t been seen since. While manatees prefer warmer waters, it isn’t the first time one has ventured that far north. The species was seen in Cape Cod Bay in 2008 and 2009 and was eventually rescued. Unfortunately, manatees that remain in cold water too long can suffer severe illness or death. Scientists are hoping the manatee made its way down south after its last sighting. Two Men Catch 700-Pound Shark Ed Lovely and Moe Giovanni of Connecticut caught a 16-foot thresher shark they estimate weighs 700 pounds. The anglers spent six hours reeling in the shark on their 16.5-foot boat, taking turns reeling in and steering the boat. Once they were able to harpoon the shark, they towed it back to shore and loaded it into Lovely’s truck — with the shark snapping a bolt on his winch in the process. The pair is now determining whether the shark is a new state record. A Fish Dropped by an Osprey Starts a Brush Fire A brush fire in British Columbia, Canada, was caused when an osprey dropped a fish onto a hydro line, which then caused embers to spark the dry grass below, according to Ashcroft Fire Rescue. About 4,900 gallons of water were used to extinguish the blaze in an area roughly 60 by 90 meters. “We do suspect by the size of the fish and the heat of the day probably caused the rather tired bird to drop its catch. Or another suspicion could be that it’s tired of raw fish and wanted to give cooked a try. We may never know the answer, but it has been verified that our prime suspect sustained no injuries in the incident and is still flying at large,” the fire rescue’s Facebook post stated. Kraken Encounters Bear Mid Video Shoot The NHL’s Seattle Kraken mascot and forward John Hayden had a close call with a brown bear while shooting a promotional video in Alaska. Hayden and the team’s mascot were fly fishing in Katmai National Park when the bear approached. Video released by the team on social media shows that the bear luckily turned away before making contact with the team.