Several hammerhead sharks were spotted yesterday in Hanalei Bay around 5 p.m., resulting in a beach closure, county officials said.

Lifeguards, who had just left for the day, returned to the beach to post signage and warn swimmers. They will reassess this morning whether to keep the beach closed, officials said.

The county received wide-ranging reports of the sharks’ size, from 5 to 10 feet. However, an eyewitness said the sharks were roughly 6 to 7 feet long and were seen chasing fish around Hanalei Pier and swimming close to the shore.

By 5:30 p.m. lifeguards had notified all swimmers, some of whom stayed in the water at their own discretion.

(Source: Kauai Garden Island News)