Cristiano Salgueiro captured footage of a camouflaged rattlesnake dancing in and out of the surf at Crystal Cove on Sunday.
Salgueiro, a beachgoer at the Orange County shoreline, recorded the venomous serpent crawling along the waterline near sunset, repeatedly slipping into the ocean before slithering back ashore. He described the snake’s behavior as looking almost playful during the rare encounter at the Newport Beach location.
Following the sighting, Salgueiro is advising people on the beach to stay alert and watch their step.
The Sunday incident marks the second rattlesnake appearance at Crystal Cove in recent weeks. Last month, stand-up comedian and TV host Nicky Paris captured chilling footage of a deadly rattlesnake slithering through the sand just inches from his bare feet.
Paris shared the video on his Instagram, showing the serpent near the water at the same beach. He had just got out of the ocean when he felt a tickle in his big toe.
“When he looked down, he was stunned to find a ‘huge’ rattlesnake –– on the beach,” Paris said as he recorded the video.
“It crawled right out of the water. Right all the way past the beach, in between my sandals, on the beach. I literally was watching it. And it just went right back up into the hill,” he continued.
People could be seen walking along the shore as the pit viper glided through the sand in Paris’s footage.
The LA-based comedian was not bit by the serpent but the discovery left him shocked. After his close call, he’s warning visitors to be vigilant all the time because walking along the water’s edge is no longer safe.
Rattlesnakes are becoming an unnerving sight on Orange County beaches, with venomous serpents now spotted multiple times at the same coastal location. The repeated appearances suggest the area has become an unexpected habitat for the dangerous reptiles.
Both Salgueiro and Paris have issued public warnings following their respective encounters, urging beachgoers to remain cautious even in the seemingly safe zone where sand meets surf.