A 7News crew was aboard a boat Thursday and got up close with a 15-foot great white shark off the coast of Cape Cod.

It’s been the summer of the shark, but we haven't seen anything like this.

A team of researchers managed to catch up with a great white and 7’s Tim Caputo was there.

“It was remarkable, and I realized, if you ever want to see a great white from that close, it's nice to be out of the water,” Caputo said. “The sheer size of the shark was awe-inspiring. What these researchers accomplished is just as impressive.

It was a great white like you've never seen before.

A group of researchers caught a 15-foot shark just miles from Cape Cod.

“I was shaking a bit, I’ve blood sampled a lot of fish, but nothing like this,” said one crew member.

All summer, sharks have been popping up close to beaches in New England -- a man was even attacked in Truro. A dozen other great whites have been tagged this year -- and we've all seen the photos.

The sharks are poked with long harpoons, but a great white has never left the water -- until now -- and 7’s Tim Caputo was the only local reporter on board when it happened.

You’ll see more of the historic catch tonight at 11.