Two sharks spotted off the Rockaways but beaches stay open, officials say

The NYPD spent Monday monitoring ocean waters off the Rockaways after officials said sharks were sighted in the morning off Beach 73rd Street.

The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation had also been "actively monitoring" the situation in coordination with the NYPD after two sharks were sighted, officials said.

Rockaway Beach was open for swimming throughout the day Monday, according to city parks officials.

On Long Island, where sharks have been spotted multiple times this summer off ocean beaches and bitten swimmers, there were no reported sightings of the predators Monday.

A Town of Hempstead spokesman, Greg Blower, said town beaches, including those at Atlantic Beach, had not reported any shark sightings as of Monday night.

Earlier, Long Beach's chief lifeguard, Paul Gillespie, said no sharks had been sighted in Long Beach — though, he added: "We're constantly looking."

With Keldy Ortiz

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”