Summer of shark: spate of encounters leaves New York beachgoers wary

Beachgoers venture into the shallows at Robert Moses Beach in Long Island, New York. Photograph: Sarah Hudez/The Guardian

There were thousands of people on Robert Moses Beach on New York’s Long Island on Saturday, but in this heatwave few were venturing into the Atlantic water beyond their ankles or knees.

Mothers kept their children close. An array of boats, helicopters and drones moved up and down beyond the surf. And teams of lifeguards aloft in their posts were poised with whistles to order people out of the water.