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Shark Spotted in Hudson River?

October 2, 2025 | 2:40 PM
in ABSURDITY, OUTDOORS
37
Courtesy photo.

By Gus Saltonstall

At first glance, a shark was spotted Wednesday afternoon in the Hudson River, but upon second look, it appears to be some sort of strange sculpture.

“Spotted in Riverside Park! Just south of Pier I,” a tipster emailed in.

The scene seems to show a woman on a surfboard with a fishing rod standing over a shark. The figures were photographed just south of Pier I in Riverside Park South near West 70th Street.

When you zoom in on the photo, though, it becomes more apparent that the figures are fake.

Courtesy photo.

West Side Rag visited the location Thursday morning to see if the phony person and shark were still there, but the installation was gone.

If anybody knows the backstory, please let us know in the comments.

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Please limit comments to 150 words and keep them civil and relevant to the article at hand. Comments are closed after six days. Our primary goal is to create a safe and respectful space where a broad spectrum of voices can be heard. We welcome diverse viewpoints and encourage readers to engage critically with one another’s ideas, but never at the expense of civility. Disagreement is expected—even encouraged—but it must be expressed with care and consideration. Comments that take cheap shots, escalate conflict, or veer into ideological warfare detract from the constructive spirit we aim to cultivate. A detailed statement on comments and WSR policy can be read here.

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37 Comments
Flo
Flo
1 year ago

Strange indeed. And unnecessary

9
Reply
Barbara E. Morgan
Barbara E. Morgan
1 year ago
Reply to  Flo

Does everything have to be “necessary?”

1
Reply
Dan V.
Dan V.
1 year ago
Reply to  Flo

Weird! Someone on this site has a problem with something so trivial. A first for sure.

3
Reply
neighbor
neighbor
1 year ago
Reply to  Flo

Nonsense, it’s delightful!

14
Reply
Curmudgeon
Curmudgeon
1 year ago
Reply to  Flo

You seem fun

15
Reply
Henry
Henry
1 year ago
Reply to  Flo

You’re gonna need a bigger sense of humor.

26
Reply
RCP
RCP
1 year ago
Reply to  Henry

Well done.

0
Reply
Sal Bando
Sal Bando
1 year ago
Reply to  Flo

What’s really necessary after all?

14
Reply
Cats lady
Cats lady
1 year ago
Reply to  Flo

Boooo fun

6
Reply
Flo
Flo
1 year ago
Reply to  Cats lady

For those under 5 it’s sure is.

5
Reply
MDW
MDW
1 year ago

I was more interested in the dorsal in in the middle of the first image.

4
Reply
Carlos
Carlos
1 year ago

Shark Week is in July – lousy timing. But I think Shark Week has jumped the shark anyway…

3
Reply
Carmella Ombrella
Carmella Ombrella
1 year ago

Take your pick: An artist with an interesting sense of humor. Or a joker playing with AI, not too convincingly.

Last edited 1 year ago by Carmella Ombrella
3
Reply
GoRangers
GoRangers
1 year ago

It’s probably part of a series of installations. There’s one of a bear by Columbia ( West side of Broadway, around 114-116 streets).

4
Reply
neighbor
neighbor
1 year ago
Reply to  GoRangers

Cool, is that still there?

0
Reply
Getreal
Getreal
1 year ago

It’s a promotion for Columbia sportswear. There was a bear in front of Tom’s as well!

3
Reply
Ped Astel
Ped Astel
1 year ago

LEGALIZE COMEDY!!!

9
Reply
ecm
ecm
1 year ago
Reply to  Ped Astel

One hears comedy, along with free speech, is thriving in Saudi Arabia….

1
Reply
Ped Astel
Ped Astel
1 year ago
Reply to  ecm

you get cancelled here (Colbert) or there (Kashoggi)

Last edited 1 year ago by Ped Astel
2
Reply
Lisa
Lisa
1 year ago
Reply to  ecm

Highly compensated, too.

1
Reply
ecm
ecm
1 year ago
Reply to  Lisa

Indeed! It’s a veritable other Eden, a demi-paradise, where one can even yap one’s head off about Charlie Kirk (maybe they haven’t heard of him there?) at liberty. Granted, trash-talking the royals can get one disemboweled or indentured, but it’s a small price to pay, right?
Hmm, wonder whether they’re accepting deportees.

0
Reply
D M
D M
1 year ago
Reply to  ecm

Omg… what a dreadful comment. But very typical for this commentator.

3
Reply
ecm
ecm
1 year ago
Reply to  D M

It’s easy to brand someone else’s comment as dreadful; it’s not so easy to leave a dreadful comment yourself. So congratulations.

0
Reply
Westside Billy 🤠
Westside Billy 🤠
1 year ago

Totally unnecessary! 👎

6
Reply
Ish K abibble
Ish K abibble
1 year ago
Reply to  Westside Billy 🤠

Your comment?😛

2
Reply
Dan V.
Dan V.
1 year ago
Reply to  Westside Billy 🤠

You’re so sad

3
Reply
Anna
Anna
1 year ago

“What looked like a shark in the Hudson River, ended up being some sort of strange installation.”

What a completely NYC news item.

6
Reply
neighbor
neighbor
1 year ago

That’s delightful, why was it removed?

5
Reply
Hannah Brown
Hannah Brown
1 year ago

I’ve been looking for a shark in that river my whole life. Guess I’m not the only one.

2
Reply
Roger Maltby
Roger Maltby
1 year ago

ai – how utterly absurd, a complete waste of time

4
Reply
Ish K abibble
Ish K abibble
1 year ago
Reply to  Roger Maltby

The time it took you to post this? If it was indeed AI, wouldn’t it look more real?

Last edited 1 year ago by Ish K abibble
2
Reply
Pat W
Pat W
1 year ago

There’s a contradiction in your article: is it AI or” a structure that was there and removed. ” I don’t understand. I zoomed in and I don’t see anything that would indicate AI or not but I’m not an expert on spotting AI.
I’d like to know what you see when you zoom in that would indicate either of the above. Thx

4
Reply
julia davis
julia davis
1 year ago

Probably a relative of the woman spotted leaving dead chickens on West End.

1
Reply
Jolene Donner
Jolene Donner
1 year ago

Maybe that phony person , fishing pole, and shark will show up in other locations this beautiful Fall.

3
Reply
Tee
Tee
1 year ago

AI.

1
Reply
Carol
Carol
1 year ago

Love it. Keep NYC weird.

2
Reply
Marty
Marty
1 year ago

Because the halocline shifts as far north as West Point it is not unusual for bull sharks to follow the brackish water as far as it goes. While they may not be sighted scientists tell that they are there.

2
Reply

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