|
'Save the Sharks — Save the Oceans' ™Become an SRC Team Member
Pacific Coast Shark News 2009The following reports for 2009 have been provided as a public service. They are intended to inform our visitors of current shark activities along the Pacific Coast of North America. To review Pacific Coast Shark News for 2003 click here, for 2004 click here, for 2005 click here, for 2006 news click here, for 2007 news click here, and for 2008 news click here.
Newport Beach — On June 19, 2009 Stacy Igarashi and several unidentified companions were surfing at Newport Beach. It was about 12 PM. The sky was overcast with air and water temperatures estimated in the mid-70s and mid-60s Fahrenheit respectively. Igarashi recounted; “I was surfing with a few friends just South of the Newport Pier at Tower 18. We had been in the water for about 45 minutes and the wind was adding some choppiness to the water. I was watching a set come in and was about to turn around to start paddling for a wave, when a fin suddenly appeared about 7 feet in front of me to the left. I immediately turned to my friends to see if they saw it as well. They did. I looked back and saw the fin disappear. I had seen tons of dolphins while surfing and I knew immediately that this was not a dolphin. The fin was really dark, triangular, and had a serrated edge at the back of the fin. It stood about 1 foot out of the water. The three of us immediately turned to start paddling for the next wave and headed for shore. As we got out, we turned around to watch the water just one more time and saw the fin appear again. It seemed to just be cruising along the top and was headed directly South, pretty quickly.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Tamarack Beach — On June 13, 2009 Aaron Byzak and an unidentified companion were body boarding at Tamarack Beach in Carlsbad, also known as Carlsbad State Beach, which stretches from the warm water jetties, just South of Tamarack Avenue to Frazee Beach near Carlsbad Village Drive. It was 11:00 AM and the sky was clear with a few clouds and an estimated air temperature in the mid-60s Fahrenheit. There was a slight wind on the sea surface, otherwise clear to the ocean floor at 4 – 6 feet deep and a temperature in the low-60s Fahrenheit. Byzak recalled; “My friend and I were surfing at Tamarack Beach in Carlsbad (at the peak known as Spotty's) right in front of the parking lot. Immediately prior to us paddling out, the weather had been very cloudy with a slight rain and lots of wind, but had begun to clear up and the wind was calming down. We had been in the water, 50 yards from shore, for approximately 20 minutes and had caught multiple waves. My friend was surfing on a 7 foot clear surfboard; I was riding a 42.5" bodyboard with a dark grey bottom. I began to paddle for a set wave (going left or North). I caught the wave and as I bottom turned to set up for a maneuver (I was laying prone on the bodyboard), I glanced down and saw a 6 – 7 foot dark grey shark swim directly underneath me (heading perpendicular to the shoreline—back out to sea). The shark was moving with a slight side to side motion and very clearly had a vertical caudal fin. The water was approximately 4 – 5 feet deep at this location and the shark was about 8 – 12 inches below the bottom of my board. As soon as I saw the shark I said ‘Whoa!' and continued on the wave, completing two maneuvers (360 spins) before reaching shallow water (I was trying to keep my legs up as much as possible on the wave). I hesitated in the shallows, for a moment, thinking about the shark, but decided to paddle back out to my friend. As I paddled back out to my friend's position in the lineup, I was trying to convince myself that I had not actually seen a shark. However, as I approached my friend in the lineup he asked, 'Hey, did you see that shark that swam underneath us?' Two beginner surfers who were surfing in the same area and heard our conversation immediately caught whitewater waves to the beach and exited the water. My friend is a recreational diver and didn't seem too scared by the encounter, so we continued to surf in the same location for another 1.5 hours with no further contact. However, I was quite concerned and continued to check the water around me for the rest of the session and was somewhat reticent about duck diving waves afterwards. We observed one dolphin come through the area about 30 minutes after the encounter. In 25 years of surfing/bodyboarding in the area that is only the second shark sighting I have had (the other was at Ponto Beach in Carlsbad approximately 4 years ago under very similar circumstances). ” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Bolsa Chica State Beach — On June 12, 2009 Deanna Prince was surfing at Bolsa Chica State Beach North of Tower 24. It was about 10:30 AM and she had been on the water about 20 minutes. It was overcast with a ‘little bump' to the ocean. Air and water temperatures were estimated in the low 60s Fahrenheit. About 10 minutes after entering the water two dolphins swam through the area. Prince reported the following: “ I was just sitting on my surfboard, waiting for a wave, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a fin. Since dolphins had just passed a few minutes before, my first thought was that it was another dolphin. When I took a better look, I instantly knew it was not a dolphin. The fin was not curved like a dolphin's and the backside of it was serrated-like. It held it's elevation in the water, not swimming up and down like a dolphin at all. I did not see a blowhole or hear a breath like you normally do when you are that close to a dolphin. It was approximately 20 feet away and was at least a foot high and grey in color. It was just swimming slowly in a straight line headed South. Since the next nearest surfer was at least 100 feet away, I just turned my board towards the shore and paddled in as fast as I could. I didn't look back until my feet were on the sand. I've been surfing for 19 years now and I have seen hundreds of dolphins, but I have never seen a fin like the one I saw today. I reported this sighting to the lifeguard on duty at Tower 24.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Morro Strand State Beach — On June 11, 2009 Russell Gruener and an unidentified friend were surfing at Morro Strand State Beach, Morro Bay. It was about 1:00 PM and he had been on the water about 2 hours. The sky was clear with a mild breeze and an estimated air temperature in the mid-60s Fahrenheit. Water visibility was 20 – 30 feet with a moderate swell and a strong uphill current. The ocean floor was primarily sand about 8 feet deep with a estimated temperature in the upper 50s Fahrenheit. Gruener recalled; “I was out surfing with my friend and another random person about a mile North of Morro Rock. There was a good amount of bait fish in the water, presumably from the recent Grunion runs. The other surfer and I were sitting in the line-up waiting for another set when we notice the bait get spooked. I looked over to my right and saw a large shadow swimming towards us with decent speed. At first we thought it was either a large sea lion or dolphin. However, as it passed under a wave in front of us, we noticed the distinct side to side swimming pattern, torpedo shaped body, large triangular dorsal fin and the vertical tail fin. It was unmistakably a small Great White Shark. We estimated it to be 7 – 8 feet long. This is the second similar sighting I have encountered at this beach in the last 6 months.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Huntington Beach — On June 11, 2009 Greg Smith reported the following; “At about 11:00 AM I was surfing close to the Brookhurst area in Huntington Beach. There were some dolphins swimming North. I had a good look at them as I could see their fins moving up and down in typical dolphin fashion. Out of nowhere I see a fin much higher than that of the dolphins. This fin was level with the water and was steady. It did not move up and down like the dolphins. The fin turned towards me and I could see the base of the fish (shark) moving towards me. Again, I could see the large fin of this animal and the base of the shark below it. It was a lot larger than the dolphins I saw earlier. Also, the skin tone was much darker. This fish did not move like the dolphins and stuck out like a sore thumb to me. My clearest view of it was when a wave hit it. I thought that this shark might ride the wave towards me. I turned around and started paddling fast towards the beach and caught the same wave that hit the shark. I thought it was a 50% chance that I might be attacked and luckily nothing happened. I was a little worried about this area as I've been seeing a number of seals hanging around. Also, back in March a friend and I witnessed a whale swimming North, after seeing that nothing was impossible to me. I've been surfing my whole life and have never seen a shark (that size), nor a whale. I estimate its length at 12 feet. This was the first time that I ever feared for my life that a shark was coming after me. I was shocked that I saw what I saw with dolphins around. My buddy Mark told me about this site and said I should post my experience.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ocean Beach — On June 7, 2009 Drew Sievers reported the following; “I was on a SUP at North Ocean Beach, San Francisco. It was 8:00 AM under a clear sky with an estimated temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The surf was choppy with 2 – 4 foot waves and an estimated temperature of 53 degrees Fahrenheit. I exited the surf onto the beach and saw a live, but injured seal pup. The pup was probably about 40 pounds and had a large gash below its neck running down its belly. The pup was still alive and was being tended by some folks from the local zoo. The gash in the pup's neck was consistent with the arc of a predator's mouth.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ventura River — On June 7, 2009 Bartt Bramwell reported the following; “At 7:30 AM I was walking along the beach at the Ventura Fairgrounds, just North of the Ventura River. I came across a dead adult size Harbor Seal with the head bitten off. The spine was exposed and was cleanly severed. A little bit of the flesh of the nose and whiskers was still clinging to the carcass. The body was a little decayed and had been there probably 4 days or less. I was last walking that beach 4 days ago. This is the second time I have come across a bitten seal in this area. The other time was about a year ago, when I came across a dead harbor seal with about 3 jagged tears in the flesh around the back flipper area.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Newport, OR — On June 3, 2009 Mark Morgon reported the following; “I was at Newport, Oregon at 9:00 AM and was checking the surf when I noticed some vultures that were starting to congregate around an object. I walked over to see what it was. It was a freshly killed Sea Lion. The head was missing, along with most of the back flippers. It had a 15 inch bite out of the torso/ribcage area with most of the lower abdomen still present. The sky was overcast, air warmer than normal for 9 AM, air about 55, water 50ish. No other mammals were seen in the area, but a group of surfers were down the beach. Harbor Seals are pupping off the nearby headland and whales have been seen coming in close to the cliffs in recent days. I hope this helps.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Montara State Beach — On June 2, 2009 S. Peter Andreini reported the following; “My friend Steve Cutter and I were surfing on the North side of Montara State Beach, which is located 8 miles North of Half Moon Bay. There was an object floating in the water about 20 yards from us that we identified as debris. It turned out to be a 20" X 20" log. It drifted down the beach approximately 50 yards. A half hour later we saw another object floating in the lineup that was dismissed for more debris but it turned out to be a harbor seal pup with no head. I assume Mr. Sharkey was the culprit and not a carnivorous mollusk.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On May 23, 2009 Joey Duncan reported the following; “At about 3:30 PM, while standing on the cliff at San Onofre Trail 4, I observed what looked to be a 7 – 8 foot shark. I want to say it was either a Mako or a Great White Shark swimming about 60 yards from shore in the lineup. I was checking the waves when I saw the shark. It was pretty onshore but there wasn’t much bump on the water. No white caps or anything. I’m positive it wasn’t a Dolphin because I know the difference in the dorsal fin. I have been surfing the Trails at San Onofre for almost 7 years. Also, I’ve seen at least 5 dead Seals this year on the beach with big chunks missing out of them. Last time I saw a dead seal was probably three weeks ago. I’ve seen the majority of the seal bodies past the Trail 6 gate on the Marine Corps base property. I consider that area the ‘Sea World’ of San Onofre – you never know what’s going to pop up next to you there.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, of attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Sunset Beach — On May 23, 2009 Phillip Keith sent the following report to Scott at SunsetSurf.com; “This was a first time for me to see a shark in my 20 years of surfing. I was surfing Sunset Beach at about 6:00 AM, just off the point. There were about 4 other surfers in the water and one paddle board surfer. We were about 30 yards off shore and we all saw a shark about 30 yards out from us. It came up, attacked, killed, and then ate a Seagull, or some other type of bird, that was sitting on the water. The shark looked to be about 4 feet from tail to dorsal fin. I estimate the total length to be 6 – 7 feet. It thrashed around with the bird for a while, presumably ate it, then we all saw it surface a couple times over about a 10 minute span, then it disappeared. We all kept surfing. I just wanted to give you a heads up.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Columbia River, OR — On May 21, 2009 M. Ducharme reported the following observation from the South Jetty of the Columbia River, Oregon; “I saw a 10 – 12 foot White Shark swimming and fishing just 100 feet from shore in light surf. We were standing on the vista platform, parking lot B, in Fort Stevens State Park when we noticed the shark. It sped up, showing its black dorsal and tail fin. It created a bubble wake in the water as it surfaced. We watched it for 4 – 5 minutes. It was 10:55 AM with the sky sunny and clear and an air temperature of about 66 degrees Fahrenheit. It was an awesome, breathing taking sight to say the least.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On May 16, 2009 Lori Coble, Special Event Permit Coordinator, California State Parks reported the following; “At San Onofre State Beach – Surf Beach – Dogpatch a special event was held for stand up paddlers. Around 6 AM two paddlers were out and said that a 6 – 8 foot Great White Shark passed under one of them. At 10 AM approximately 20 paddlers were heading in to the beach and told the event coordinator, Barrett Tester (who was paddling out) that he should not go out as they had just witnessed a 6 – 8 foot Great White Shark breaching.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Sunset Beach — On May 17, 2009 Marcus at Surfline.com forwarded the following message; “A buddy and I were surfing out at Sunset Blvd (Sunset Beach) around noon and saw a shark breach the water out by the buoy. My estimation of its length is about four feet. Great sight, thanks for all you do. Brent T.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Cardiff — On May 11, 2009 Jon Wood, and his dive companion Nate, were spearfishing at Cardiff, located between Encinitas and Solana Beach in San Diego County. It was 7:00 PM with an overcast sky. The water was 25 feet deep with 8 – 10 feet of visibility and a temperature of 62 degrees Fahrenheit. There were scattered kelps on the ocean floor. They had been in the area of the encounter for less than 2 minutes. Wood reported; “Just got a dive in today at some kelp beds in North San Diego County. I saw ridiculous amounts of WSB (White Sea Bass, Atractoscion nobilis) but most were borderline legal. My dive buddy Nate said he saw a ‘big one’ and took a shot and missed. I saw one that was quite a bit bigger than the others, well beyond legal size, and got a shot off. I hit it but had a bad angle and sadly lost the fish. I was completely consumed with finding a keeper and saw WSB on almost every dive but they were too small and the ‘vis kinda’ sucked, mostly 5 – 10 feet with 15 feet in a few spots. I was at the bottom looking around and as I turned my head to look forward, 3 feet in front of my face was the tail of a shark swimming by. I could only see about 1/2 the body, and it was pretty ‘girthy’ from what I could tell. Definitely got my attention but I didn't let it trip me out too bad and continued diving. I was on my way to the surface and got tangled a bit in the kelp and surfaced with some struggle. I couldn't figure out where I had gotten snagged so I waved Nate over to help me and let him know about the shark. Little did I know that he had seen a fin once earlier and a second time just then heading in his direction from 30 yards or so. He was a little spooked and as I was fighting with kelp I heard him say ‘whoa, whoa, whoa’ and started back peddling toward me. At this point I have kelp in my face and couldn't see a thing. He said he saw a splash out of the corner of his eye and turned just in time to see a shark’s tail disappearing 5 feet from us. He said it was a dark colored fin but it was getting pretty late so who knows. We then had a nice long, nervous swim in.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Topanga Beach — On May 10, 2009 Eric Billingsley reported the following; “ I was surfing at Topanga Beach near Malibu today from about 5 PM to 6:30 PM and encountered a dead seal on the beach. It was probably 100 yards West of the main Lifeguard Building, showers, and bathrooms. I was not able to determine the cause of death or whether there were puncture wounds. The seal appeared to be an adult.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Zuma Beach — On May 8, 2009 Nicolas Faure was at Zuma Beach North about 19 miles North of Malibu. While walking along the shore he came upon a dead seal that had been decapitated and had also sustained a large wound to the abdomen. A photograph was sent to the SRC for verification. The seal appeared to have been dead for a number of days. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Shell Beach — On May 6, 2009 Bryan Laubach was surfing at Shell Beach, just South of Spyglass, in San Luis Obispo County. It was 7:30 PM, nearly sunset, and he had been on the water 90 minutes. The ocean was calm with the surf 3 – 5 feet. Air and water temperatures were estimated in the high 60s and 50s Fahrenheit, respectively. A sea otter and seal were observed during his session. Laubach recounted; “I was swimming back out after catching a wave and stopped to rest. I looked behind me and saw some type of marine life 4 feet away. Then I saw a tan body and dorsal fin, and tail, come out of the water. I then noticed it was a shark and kicked as fast as I could away from it. I caught a wave a minute later and went to shore. The shark looked as if it was after my foot-fin with a cocked back. Its tail came out of the water and was 5 – 6 feet long. I don't know if it was behind for too long after I started swimming away. I think the shark might have been a Thresher Shark.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Moonlight Beach — On May 5, 2009 Chris Greenup was surfing Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, California. He entered the water at 9:15 AM. The ocean was glassy but there was medium wind swell moving the surf. Also, the water was murky due to suspended sand and other material. Air and water temperatures were estimated in the low 60s Fahrenheit. There was light fog hanging above the ocean, not uncommon for this time of year. Greenup reported; “I had been surfing for about 45 minutes and there was a lot of water moving so I couldn’t see the horizon due to the up and down movement of the water and paddling in and over the wave troughs. I came up over a wave and was sitting on my board when I observed 50 feet off to my right the whole underbelly of a shark. It was exposed as if it had just taken some prey and was twisting. I couldn’t see its head but estimate its length at 10 feet plus. The shark’s pectoral fins and tail were perfectly exposed. It appeared to be a very aggressive maneuver and I didn’t want to be in the water with it so I started paddling to shore. I paddled a short distance and looked back to see its dorsal fin which looked grayish in greenish in the light and very triangular. I would estimate the dorsal fin to be at least 16 inches in height. I surfed this same location yesterday (May 4) and there was a very young seal popping up next to me from time to time. I told a fellow that I had seen a shark and was getting out of the water. He said he didn’t see the shark but did see the seal near us. I talked to a few of my friends after this encounter and was told that people have seen a similar size White Shark off of Swami’s and another person claims to have seen another White Shark off of Del Mar recently.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On May 3, 2009 Lars Marstaller reported the following; “I saw a shark on Sunday, around 4 PM at San Onofre State Beach Trail # 6. I had been surfing for two hours and had gone to the beach for a rest. I was watching the waves when I saw a pointed triangular fin, about 15 inches high, coming out of the water and immediately submerging about 70 feet away. I stood up in the hope to get a second look because I didn't quite believe that what I saw was a shark. After watching for another 10 or 15 minutes all of a sudden a 5 – 6 foot long shark sort of jumped out of the water at around the same general area I had seen the fin prior. It was dark in color and rather robust and short, more like a football player rather than a jogger.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On May 3, 2009 Ryan Jung, and several companions, were surfing at San Onofre State Beach, Trail #4, North of San Diego. It was 9 – 9:30 AM and Jung had been on the water for more than two hours. It was cloudy with intermittent sunshine and air and water temperatures in the mid-60s Fahrenheit. There was a light onshore breeze out of the SW with a light chop and a 3 – 4 foot swell. There were 4 – 7 porpoise observed in the general area prior to the encounter. Jung recalled; “I had been quite active all morning (since 7 am) catching numerous waves and was beginning to tire. There had been a lull in waves for about 5 minutes and I was waiting, facing out to sea, patiently. Some forerunner waves began to roll in and I noticed a dorsal fin appear from behind one. It was triangular in shape and was about a foot tall and maybe 30 feet from me. I strained my head higher out of the water to try and confirm my suspicion. More dorsal fins appeared shortly thereafter that were swept back with a more acute angle and more rounded at the tips than the triangular fin. The porpoises began to breach out of the back of a wave, very close to my friends and I. We were impressed with the display. However, 10 minutes later close to our position, birds began diving on a ball of bait fish and I encouraged my friends to move North away from the area. We surfed about a half hour more without any other sightings. Later when we were loading the car another surfer told us he saw a shark that was similar in dimensions with what I had seen.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Sunset Beach — On May 2, 2009 Carlos C. (last name withheld) was surfing Sunset Beach, South of Malibu. It was about 10:40 AM and he had been on the water 45 minutes. The sky was overcast with an air temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit and rain imminent. There were occasional sets of 3 foot waves with limited water visibility. He reported; “I originally went to Sunset Beach due to the fact that it was my first time learning to surf. My wife and I sat down between the 22nd and 23rd Lifeguard Towers. I wanted water that was not going to be too rough, being my first time and all. I had been in the ocean about 40 minutes and was in water up to my stomach. I looked to the left of my location and saw a dorsal fin pop straight up, about 2 feet high, out of the water 20 – 25 yards from me. I could not believe it. I thought it was someone in the water so I looked back at my wife and she's waving her arms at me to look in that same direction. I guess she was yelling at me and I was too far out to hear her. I turned clockwise towards the shark and I saw it again. This time the dorsal had submerged and I could not see where it had gone. Then it popped up again. Then it began sinking slowly towards me about 15 yards away. I panicked and started running towards the beach but my surfboard was dragging me down. When I looked back behind me I counted at least 4 dolphins circling and splashing extremely close to me. It seemed as though they literally created a wall between me and the shark, almost like they bullied it away from me. What a horrible experience for trying to learn my first day. Later I saw the dolphins and I can confirm that the fin I observed was not a dolphins but rather a shark.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Soquel Cove — On April 30, 2009 Scott Tapley was paddling at Soquel Cove, Santa Cruz. It was 10 AM and he had been on the water about 45 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated in the mid-50s Fahrenheit. The sky was clear and the ocean glassy with about 4 feet of water visibility. There were numerous birds in the area as well as 2 pinnipeds. Tapley reported; “I was paddling from the Cement Ship to Pleasure Point and back. On the return trip, I was on a line between Pleasure Point and the Cement Ship, in Soquel Cove, about 1 mile from the Cement Ship and about a mile or less from Pot Belly Beach. The shark was swimming directly at me when I first saw it. At first I thought it might be an Orca, so I paused to let it get closer. When it was about 20 or 30 feet in front of me, the shark turned off about 45 degrees and I could see it better. It was a large gray shark, maybe 15+ feet, with 18 – 20 inches of dorsal fin exposed above surface. It was swimming slowly before submerging. It appeared to roll on its side briefly before submerging. It seemed to be coming right toward me and then veered off. I paddled hard for land looking back a few times but didn't see it again.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On April 25, 2009 Ryan Warrick was surfing Trail 6 at San Onofre State Beach, 100 – 150 yards from shore. It was sunny with a moderate 10 – 12 knot wind out of the Northwest. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 67 and 57 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. It was about 11 AM and Warrick had been on the water one hour. He reported; “I had been surfing for about an hour when I saw the lifeguard truck driving down the beach making an announcement to the surfers about every 200 yards or so. When he got close enough I could only make out part of what he was saying but I caught enough to make out ‘shark sighting, one mile, and state park recommends you leave the water.’ Everyone except for me and one other guy got out. I told the other guy that it probably isn't a very big shark and even if it was if it was spotted one mile away that by the time the lifeguard truck had driven down the beach to us that it had probably swam back out to sea. Well after about 5 minutes the other guy took the next wave in and I was all on my own. I caught two more waves and saw the lifeguard truck stop again to address me specifically this time. I paddled in a little ways and once the truck drove away I turned back out to sea to continue surfing. I've dived with sharks in Hawaii numerous times and the thought of a shark in the water really didn't phase me too much. My opinion was about to drastically change. I had paddled back out to the break and was sitting pretty far out the back when all of a sudden a very small wave started to break in front of me and a very large dorsal fin appeared. It was about 2 feet high and medium grey. I could see nearly the full length on the back in front of and behind the fin and estimate the shark to be 10 – 12 feet in length. The odd thing was that it came through the front of the wave. It appeared to be fake because of how massive it was. As soon as I had seen the shark it disappeared under the water in my general direction. I immediately turned to paddle back in and glanced over my shoulder as I was paddling and saw a dolphin riding in the wave. I'm 99% sure whatever I saw was not a dolphin, it was much too large and I would have definitely noticed a blow hole or a curved fin. This fin was distinctly straight and I've seen hundreds of dolphins over the years. When I got to the beach all the other surfers were lining the beach telling me how crazy I was for staying out. I asked them to fill me in on the rest of what the lifeguard was saying and apparently a 10 foot Great White Shark had been sighted a mile up the beach to the North where it possibly bumped a surfer. They also told me that for some reason right before I paddled in that the dolphins started circling around me in that specific spot. That really freaked me out because I've heard of dolphins chasing sharks away from people before. At any rate, next time the lifeguard tells us to get out because of a shark I'll be the first one out.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Dog Patch Beach — On April 25, 2009 Marcus at Surfline.com reported the following from Dan O’Donnell; “This morning at 9 A.M. Royce Cansler, Dan O'Donnell, Mike Muir, Dale, Reed Inouye and several others were out at Dog Patch, near San Onofre, on our SUPS trying to catch waves in the voodoo winds. A 6 – 8 foot Great White Shark breached completely out of the water near us. We said ‘OK, Bye Bye, we’re out of here! There also was a dead Sea Lion rolling around the shore break…pretty cool stuff.” Zach Ross reported the following to Marcus at Surfline.com; “Surfed Old Mans this morning. Lumpy disorganized chest high peaks with a lot of churning whitecaps. I guess there was a shark sighting, lifeguards used bullhorns to call out to all of us this morning around 9:30AM. I heard from several people on the beach it was big. I did not see it. A friend was surfing Trail #1 at the same time and believes he saw a dorsal fin.” About 10 AM Drew Senner was surfing Dog Patch/Old Mans Beach at San Onofre State Beach. He had been on the water about one hour. Senner reported; “I was paddling against the current, heading Northwest, parallel to the beach when my hand struck what I thought was a seal. However, the animal then moved against my leg and board and was too big to be a seal. The skin also felt tough, not like a seal. I have fished and caught Shark both Mako and Thresher and my initial reaction was that it felt like shark skin. I didn't wait around to see what it was and began paddling as fast as I could towards the shore and immediately caught a wave back. The water was murky brown, so I didn't get a clear visual shot of the animal. When I returned to shore, the lifeguards told me they had witnessed a Great White in the same area and they were in the process of clearing the beach. My best guess is the shark was probably 8 – 10 feet in length. It didn't seem aggressive, more like it was bumping against me to check me out, or perhaps we just crossed paths.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On April 22, 2009 Marcus at Surfline.com provided the following report from Matthew Fry. He was off Dog Patch at San Onofre State Beach and recounted the following; “5 – 6 foot ‘Whitey’ sighting at Dog Patch at 5 PM Wed night while stand up paddleboarding. Went right under the nose of the board, FYI.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Moss Beach — On April 20, 2009 Neil Nobriga and a companion were snorkeling at Moss Beach Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, located 20 miles South of San Francisco and 50 miles North of Santa Cruz, between Montara and Half Moon Bay. Nobriga recounted the following; “My friend and I were shallow water snorkeling at Moss Beach Marine Reserve at approximately 11 AM. Several hours later when High tide rolled in a seal carcass washed up on shore with no head, no tail, and a few small (approximately 1 inch) teeth marks in what was left of the body. The carcass washed ashore in the spot we had been diving in only a few hours earlier. As we began filming the harbor seals later on (approximately 7 PM) we spotted a fin in the water past the breakers. We could not estimate size or species from the distance and the digital camera footage didn’t catch the fin. We stayed on for another hour but as the sun set we had to leave the reserve. We did not get back into the water once high tide rolled in. The deepest we had gone was only about 5 feet in low tide with a visibility of about 10 feet and stayed within the breakers. I have never heard of sharks coming that close to shore but I’m definitely going to keep my head on a swivel when we go back.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ledbetter Beach — On April 20, 2009 Amy Rodriquez reported the following; “At 6:45 PM I was paddle boarding at Ledbetter Beach, Santa Barbara. It was just before sunset and the sky was clear. I had paddle 500 feet past the point, just outside of the kelp beds, a little less than a mile offshore, when I saw a large fin and dark black outline. This was a stark contrast to the few dolphins which I had seen ten minutes before. I was shocked to see, what I am fairly certain was a large shark so close to Ledbetter, as I have never heard of a shark sighting there. I turned around and hauled ass into shore. I paddle there almost everyday, but will perhaps be a bit more careful. It was a 90 degree day and there wasn't a drop of wind or a ripple of a wave...very freaky.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Torrey Pines State Beach — On April 18, 2009 Alex Kaseberg reported the following; “On Saturday morning (April 18th, 2009) at around 9:10 AM I was stand up paddle boarding past the rollers about 100 hundred yards off shore, and 400 yards South of Lifeguard Tower 1 at Torrey Pines State Beach, located about 5 miles North of La Jolla. I saw the dorsal fin of a very large shark – my guess is a Great White – a mere 50 feet away from me heading South in my general direction. My first thought was a dolphin and I actually thought to paddle closer. Then I quickly noticed the fin was more upright, far bigger, sharper angled, and it was skimming along the surface of the water, not bobbing up and down. In a sheer panic I turned and paddled in to shore as fast as I could, not looking back for fear of what I might see. Obviously I made it in and reported the sighting to the Torrey Pines Park Ranger that was taking tickets at the booth, about 9:15 AM, and he reported it to the Lifeguards. I give my sighting a 95% of being right about it being a Great White. I know it was a large shark.” This is the fourth shark incident (1 attack, 1 encounter, 2 predations) to be reported since April 6 for a 12 – 15 mile beach zone extending from a little South of La Jolla to Cardiff. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
La Jolla — On April 17, 2009 Roger Steinhauer reported the following; “I observed two dead seals below the parking lot South of the Scripps Pier in La Jolla. One of the animals had no visible wounds, while the other had the upper half of its body removed leaving a 6" stump of spine exposed. There were several short lacerations around the edge of the remaining torso. Lifeguards were informed and said UCSD police were taking care of the animals.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Newport Beach — On April 7, 2009 Scott Murdock and a companion were paddling their 21-foot outriggers 2 miles off the entrance to Newport Harbor in Newport Beach. It was 5:30 PM and they had been on the water about one hour. The sky was clear and there was a 12 knot breeze out of the SW with a light chop on the sea surface. Dolphins were observed in the area about 30 minutes prior to the encounter. Murdock reported; “My friend and I observed a large dorsal fin protruding out of the water about 100 yards from our location. The shark was moving slowly through the water in a North-Easterly direction. We watched it for 3 – 4 minutes. During that period it submerged and surfaced several times showing its dorsal fin and tail. I would estimate 10 – 12 feet between the dorsal and tail.” This is the same location as the March 11, 2009 encounter with Steven Lockhart and Aaron Hix. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
La Jolla — On April 6, 2009 Raymundo Ayus, Jr. and a companion were spearfishing South of La Jolla. The sky was clear with a light breeze. The divers were about ¾ of a mile from the beach. Ayus reported the following: “We suited up at Camino Del La Costa just South of La Jolla. The water was choppy with visibility 10 feet near the surface but a good 20 feet at the bottom. We swam Northwest to a nice kelp bed and begun hunting. About 20 minutes into the dive, I looked up and saw my buddy waving. As I swam toward him I realized he had shot a White Sea Bass and it was tangled 60 feet below in the kelp. First dive down, I looked for it and saw the fish then looked around 360 degrees for any toothy predator, then came up. The WSB was at least 50 pounds. I asked my buddy if he needed help cutting up the kelp and bringing the fish up. He said “yes." I made the 2nd dive to the fish. Once again, I scanned 360 degrees, nothing was around. I cut the kelp carefully so as not to cut the reel line. My knife was in my left hand and in my right hand I held the fish. I noticed the small green fish that frequent the kelp suddenly got spooked as I looked to my right. I saw a large dark object coming at me. That is when I freaked out seeing her nose, gums, and those teeth. I'm staring at the mouth of a 12 – 15 foot Great White Shark, 10 feet away and closing in. I released the fish immediately and arch backward to avoid the attack by going to the left of her head as she clamped down on the fish. I felt a strong hit on my right side as my face was 2 feet from her gill silts. It was her left fin (pectoral) hitting my right side. She turned slightly to the right and when I cleared her left fin I swam upward toward the surface holding my knife. I looked up to see where the reel line was heading because my dive buddy was holding my spear gun and I knew my knife was no match for the shark. When I looked down I saw the outline of the shark coming up at me. I surfaced next to my buddy and grabbed my spear gun to fend off the shark. When I pulled the gun forward in the direction of the oncoming shark, she turned right and my buddy started swimming fast, on top of the kelp, straight toward shore. I kept looking underwater for the shark then I scanned where I last saw her. There she was coming up at my 5 o' clock position so I swung my gun at her. She did a full circle touching the kelps around her. Now I know White Sharks do go into kelp when they have a prey in sight. I lost sight of her for a few minutes, then I saw her again at my 7 o' clock position trying to sneak up on me when I got to the edge of the kelp. It was scary because she snuck up on me twice and I know her intention was not to look. I almost shot the shark when she did that. Then, I swam backward with my eyes to the rear when she began following me. She was a little fast coming up to my left side. I slowed down so that I could turn and face her. She did this ‘dance’ 4 times with me, cutting in front of me, which made me stop and point my gun at her then she would go full circle around me. When she disappeared in the murky water, I swam backward, forward, and sideways, looking for her. I even dove 10 feet to see where she was. After that 10 foot dive, I could see the bottom and when I looked up the shore was only 100 yards away. I didn't see the shark again. I made it over the rocks and was grateful that she didn't bite me.” Physical contact by the shark, with the subject, constitutes a shark attack by definition. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Buccaneer Beach — On April 4, 2009 Jim Reynolds was surfing at Buccaneer Beach in Oceanside. It was 7:30 AM and he had been on the water about 5 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated in the low 60s Fahrenheit. It was sunny with a slight offshore breeze. The ocean was ‘smooth’ over a sandy bottom 6 – 8 feet deep with 5 feet of water visibility. Reynolds reported; “When I first paddled out I observed a longboarder about 20 feet away. He was paddling into a wave and I saw what looked like a grayish colored shark, 6 feet in length, swimming rapidly South in the same wave. It passed underneath him by only about 2 feet. His girlfriend was on the opposite side of the wave and also observed the shark.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Zuma Beach — On March 28, 2009 Michael Lilley was surfing at Zuma Beach near Lifeguard Tower 12. It was 7:30 AM and he had been on the water 10 – 15 minutes. It was sunny with a calm sea surface. Water and air temperatures were estimated in the upper 50s Fahrenheit. Water depth was about 10 feet with a sandy ocean floor. Lilley recalled; “I was sitting on my board waiting for a wave, about 30 yards from shore. While scanning the horizon, I noticed a 2 foot high fin off to my left approximately 100 feet away. The shark's movement was straight toward me and when I realized what was happening I paddled toward shore as fast as I could and didn't look back. Once I the reached shore, a guy came up to me and asked if I was OK. He had been watching from the beach. He said after I started paddling towards shore, the shark swam away from me after a few seconds and turned North and swam parallel with the shore. I feel very lucky to be typing this story today.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Temescal Canyon — On March 20, 2009 Alden Harris reported the following; “I went down for a swim around 9 AM but didn't get in. It was too cold, foggy, murky and no one in sight. I decided to walk down along the beach towards Temescal, South of Sunset Beach, near a fisherman. I looked out and something large shot across the water for about 30 feet from shore. I could see that the fisherman had something big on his line and I asked what he thought he had. He said casually, "shark". I knew right then it was one of the whites I’ve seen lately. So, I waited and watched. It took the line out about 50 yards off shore and then it breached, twisting and turning completely out of the water. It was a White Shark. The fisherman thought he had lost it, but then the line went taught again and the fight resumed. After 20 minutes the fisherman brought the shark to the shore break. I informed him that if it was a White Shark he would have to release it. He gaffed it in its side (which I wished he wouldn't have done) and hauled it onto the beach. A lifeguard came down and we agreed that it was unmistakably a juvenile White Shark, 5 – 6 feet in length. It had the signature snout and chin-like bottom jaw, a white belly and a ridge on either side of the tail behind the dorsal. Also, the gills were long. The lifeguard called in to report it and also called several people for a camera. I couldn’t believe there wasn't a camera or camera phone within a mile! Another lifeguard came by and we agreed that the shark should be released back into the water because it was on the ‘protected species list.’ The gaff wound didn't seem to be too bad. There wasn’t any blood coming from it, so the fisherman cut the line and pushed it back into the surf. The shark flipped its tail and was gone. I hope it survives. Funny thing, even though it's eyes were black and it showed us it's gaping jaws several times, it still had the juvenile look and it seemed kind of scared, helpless and cute. I felt sorry for the little guy. I hope it shares the same sentiments towards me should we ever meet again.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Salt Creek — .On March 18, 2009 Eric Campbell was surfing at Salt Creek, Orange County, California. He reported the following; “I was at Salt Creek at around 5:30 PM body boarding with a friend. The waves were a good 4 – 5 feet and excellent. I ‘duck dove’ under one wave and lost grip of my board. My leash broke and as I reached the surface of the water my right leg cramped. It was a ‘bummer’ so I sat out there a little past the brake stretching out my cramp. I was a good 20 – 25 yards from shore. My friend went back in and got my board for me. I tried swimming back in. Just as I grabbed my board a wave came along and knocked it out of my hands and now my left leg cramped. I started stretching out my leg again. The visibility was perfect even though it was sunset and there was really thick fog. My friend paddled back out and was 30 yards to my right. I told him I couldn’t swim over to him because I was stretching out my cramp. Since he went and got my board twice I thought I’d swim over to him. I was really struggling to stay up. When I was about 6 feet from my board my friend tells me ‘there is a huge fin right behind you!’ I said yeah, right. I've never seen a fin in a lineup over here before. I turn around and saw a fin sticking 2 feet out of the water and its tail was about 9 feet behind. This thing was huge. It swam by me like 5 feet away. It was really dark on top and you could see glimpses of white so I’m sure it was a Great White. I just stayed still and waited for it to pass. It was looking like it was checking me out. There were a hundred guys out there in the lineup. Everyone was still and one by one we all rode a wave back in. At that point we weren’t really picky on how good the form of the wave was. It was scary for me pretty much because from what I saw on ‘Shark Week’ they attack straggling looking prey and mainly swimmers, which makes me think it was circling me or something along those lines. And that is my encounter with the man in the gray suit." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Sunset Beach — On March 18, 2009 Christopher Andrews was just inside the point at Sunset Beach, South of Malibu, in water that was 10 – 15 feet deep with good visibility (undefined). It was 11:30 AM. Andrews reported; “The nearest surfer was about 60 feet further towards the point. What I perceived at first was a large dolphin passing under me moving in a slow and relaxed manner parallel to the shore like it was moving without moving its body. Then I saw a disproportionately large vertical crescent shaped tail and a likewise fat mid section. The dorsal fin was similar to a dolphin but perhaps wider at the base. It almost had a calming effect on me as I watched this amazing apparition go towards the surfer. The shark was about 6 feet under the surface. When it got near the surfer it turned and came back in my direction a bit to the outside of me and then turned out to sea and headed down the coast. My impression is that it was looking for fish or curious or attracted by something but in a way minding it's own business and not threatening humans. My stand up board is 11 feet and the shark was maybe a few feet less in length.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Pacific Palisades — On March 18, 2009 Alden Harris (see 3-14-09) was swimming South from Will Rogers State Beach for his daily 1.5 – 3 mile swim. It was 9:45 AM when he entered the water. His swim lasted about 60 minutes. The sky was clear with air and water temperatures estimated in the mid-70s and mid-50s Fahrenheit respectively. He stayed within 10 – 15 yards of shore throughout the swim. Ocean swells were 2 – 3 feet with water visibility 5 – 10 feet. Harris reported; “I went swimming South from Will Rogers State Beach. I was in the water about one hour. When I finished my swim, I exited the water and walked about 100 yards North to the location where I had observed the two sharks on Saturday. I saw a shark’s dorsal fin about 20 yards from shore. A cresting wave allowed me to see the shark’s silhouette. It was about 7 feet in length with a dorsal fin, 12 – 16 inches. I watched the shark swim around the area for about 5 minutes. I finally went to my car to retrieve my camera and binoculars. When I returned the shark was gone. It did not return. I saw the police helicopter circling the area giving me the impression they were observing something special, so it is possible that even though the lifeguards are publicly denying that there were any sharks (seven people confirmed seeing them), privately they're keeping a diligent lookout.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Bolsa Chica State Beach — On March 16, 2009 Don Howarth was walking along Bolsa Chica State Beach, Tower 22, which is located in Huntington Beach between Golden West Street and Warner Avenue. It was 7:30 AM under a clear sky with air and water temperatures estimated in the mid to upper 50s Fahrenheit. A pod of dolphins were observed 100 yards offshore. Howarth reported; “I came upon a dead juvenile California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus), estimated weight at 100+ pounds. It appeared to be a recent kill as there was no smell or decay and blood was still present in some wounds. Its head was missing and the left front flipper partially eaten. There were several large bites on abdomen with entrails visible.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Pacific Palisades — On March 14, 2009 Alden Harris was swimming North from Temescal Canyon, Pacific Palisades toward Sunset Beach. It was 8:30 AM and he had been in the water about 30 minutes. The sky was overcast with air and water temperatures estimated in the mid-50s Fahrenheit. He was about 20 yards from shore with swells 2 – 3 feet and water visibility about 10 feet. Harris reported; “I was swimming North toward Sunset Beach when I caught sight of a dark shape about 15 yards due West of me. I thought it was one of those black birds with long necks that I see often. Upon further examination I determined the shape to be a dorsal fin, that was 12 – 16 inches above the water, with the tail 3 feet behind. The shape moved slowly in a straight line parallel to me without rising or falling. I swam to shore and stood on a drain about 10 feet above water to make sure I wasn't mistaken. It was then that I saw the second dorsal fin gliding South, just 10 yards from shore. Both sharks remained on the surface most of the time dipping occasionally so that only a tip of their fin was sticking out. They circled, heading out to sea and then came back to the same spot close to shore. A local harbor seal swam close to one of them and the shark immediately turned towards it. Not in any hurry though. I didn’t wait to see what happened because I ran down the beach and swam out to warn my friends who were about to swim directly into their path. We all walked back to the spot where I had seen them not expecting to see them still there but one surfaced and slid passed where we were standing, just yards from the shore. After a while I spotted the other one swimming out to sea. Just to be safe I ran up to the lifeguard on duty at Sunset to let him know. While speaking with the lifeguard, I looked out to see just as one of the sharks breached, jumping completely out of the water. I received the following information from a friend later in the day; “A paddle boarder came by and I flagged him in. He said the shark buzzed him twice. He thought the shark was about 7 feet in length.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Newport Beach — On March 14, 2009 Sam Willson, his wife, and mother, were on the Balboa Pier, which is the Southern most on the Newport Peninsula, Newport Beach. It was 1 PM with a partly cloudy sky and a brisk wind. Willson recalled; “My wife, mother-in-law, and I observed a small to medium size shark for about 30 minutes off the South side of the Southern most pier in Newport Beach. It was about 50 – 75 feet away from our location and 100 yards from shore. We couldn't make out what type of creature it was for a while. For the first 10 minutes all we could see was white and every now and then we would see a fin. It just didn't make sense. So we were debating if it was a large fish, or a dead shark floating upside down. Then it started traveling slowly towards our direction, still seeing a mostly white shape in the water. It then disappeared and moments later it breached and we knew for sure it was a shark. It was dark on top about 6 feet in length, but my estimate could be off as we were at an angle. The shark breached at our angle, straight up then faced towards us, then a flat splash. I'm not sure what type of shark it would be but it definitely was a shark. Later, after the shark disappeared, 5 dolphins swam through the same area traveling South.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Sunset Point — On March 14, 2009 Keith Turner was paddle boarding at Sunset Point, Pacific Palisades. It was 8:45 AM and he had been on the water for about 60 minutes. The sky was overcast and there was a light breeze. Water depth was 10 – 15 feet with about 5 feet of visibility. Turner reported; “I was paddling, slowly going North, when I looked to my left and saw a shark about 10 feet away and 4 feet under water. It was swimming slowly in the same direction I was headed. I'm not sure how long it was there before it came to my attention, but soon it swam away heading North. I paddled faster to get to the Point to warn another surfer who was in the general direction of the shark's path. He didn't seem too concerned after my warning so I went back to surfing. About 10 – 20 minutes later I was standing still on my board at the Point, facing West, when I saw a small wave coming towards me. I didn't think too much of it at first but then I saw a ripple in the middle of the wave that seemed out of place and it was headed straight towards me. I realized the ripple was the tip of the shark's dorsal fin. It kept coming towards me until it was about 10 feet away, then swerved and swam off to my left. I used my paddle to smack the water above the shark but don't think it did any good. The shark was brownish grey and a little smaller than my paddleboard, which is 10 feet, so I would estimate its size at 8 feet.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Newport Beach — On March 11, 2009 Steven Lockhart and Aaron Hix were returning from a fishing trip. They were 1.5 – 2 miles off the Newport Beach Jetty at 6 PM, headed toward the harbor. Air and water temperatures were estimated to be in the mid-50s to low-60s Fahrenheit. Water visibility was about 10 feet with a slightly overcast sky. Lockhart reported; “The shark was about 18 feet long and seemed to swim consistently at 3 – 4 knots, except a couple of times when it increased its speek to 5 – 10 knots. The shark was very bold, but not aggressive, it was confident. Although inquisitive it was focused on the direction it was headed – Catalina Island. We originally thought it was a seal then realized it was a fin. We pulled next to it and realized it was a shark. We drove next to it for 1 – 2 minutes then it went under. We saw it again this time on the starboard side (continued to pace next to it). Eventually we got in front of it and it was in the wash of the boat. We threw squid at it but it clearly wasn't interested. We then let the shark in front of us and we both climbed onto the bow pulpit and saw the shark. It was as wide as our outstretched arms (5 – 6 feet). The distance between the dorsal fin and caudal fin (tail) was 10 – 12 feet. From our bow pulpit to the shark was about 10 feet. The shark did not have any spots and was a dark gray. We could see its gills, could not see any white. The shark never breached or surfaced. The dorsal fin was 2 – 3 feet out of the water and was very thin. We thought there was a slight curve behind the apex. We were with the shark for 20 – 30 minutes.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre — On February 1, 2009 Marty Colombatto was stand-up paddle surfing 30 – 50 yards from shore just South of the power plant at San Onofre. It was early afternoon and he had been on the water about 30 minutes. Colombatto reported the following; “Over a one month period, ending with today February 1, 2009, I have had 3 encounters at the same location. The ocean floor at this location is primarily sand with a few scattered rocky areas. Only on one of occasion did we observe a seal swimming North about 100 yards offshore. It didn't seem to be alarmed. In each case, we were paddling South toward the South end of the power plant. We were going to surf a beach break at that location. In each case, we saw the shark(s) at approximately the same location each time. First encounter, it swam slowly under our boards about 2 – 3 feet below the surface. Second encounter, we saw it swim in front of us and darted away when we got close. Third encounter, it was sitting motionless about 2 feet below the surface. This one we got a very good look at it and it looked like a great white from the top profile, but we didn't get a look at the underside. This one was brown/gray color on top. In each case, we spotted them on the way to our surf break, only 25 – 50 yards away, but didn't spot them again, even though we continued to surf the break for an hour or so. They didn't act aggressive, so we continued to surf. The shark was 6 – 7 feet in length and 12 – 18 inches in width. It matches the description of a juvenile great white. Second encounter could have been a Mako since it had a longer tail and less girth, but we didn't get as good a look at this one.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre — On January 30, 2009 Keith Lee was stand-up paddling his board about one mile South of the power plant at San Onofre. It was between 1:30 and 2 PM. He had been on the water about 30 minutes. The sky was clear with an estimated temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The water was 8 – 15 feet deep with limited visibility and an estimated temperature of 58 degrees Fahrenheit. There was a slight texture to the water's surface with a WNW 5 knot wind. Lee reported; “I was stand up paddling just 20 feet outside the surf zone. The shark did a drive by to check me out. It never surfaced. It was 8 feet long dark gray or brown in color. I had a top view of the shark from my position. It was traveling in the same direction as me on my right side. I was paddling on my left as it neared the surface. It never broke the water surface. After a moment it submerged and was gone.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Cottons Point — On January 25, 2009 Manuel Quinitana was surfing Cottons Point, San Clemente with 10 – 15 unidentified surfers. It was 11:30 AM and he had been on the water about 3 hours. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 65 and 57 degrees Fahrenheit respectively with a clear sky and a mild 10 knot breeze. Quinitana reported; “I was surfing Cottons Point and was ready to get out from being tired. Some waves started to show about 40 yards South of my location. I moved over from the pack of other surfers to get some of those peaks for a last wave. All of a sudden I looked just Southwest and saw the shark. It took me about five seconds to realize that it was very close to me. I began to second guess myself and thought it might be a dolphin. After watching it for several moments slowly swim in a straight line I saw the size, color, and realized that it was a large shark very near to me. I was very frightened while trying to keep my composure. I headed for the shore and I tried to take small strokes. I finally made it. A friend of mine was just getting in. I told him what I saw. He then asked if I was sure it wasn't a dolphin. I have been surfing for 23 years and have seen many dolphins. I know it was a shark. The head and tail never surfaced but a large light gray dorsal fin with a triangular shape did pop up in front of me. It was just cruising. It also had a little bit of white on it with some dark scares on it. The dorsal fin was about 18 inches in height. You could see it was large as I could see some body close to the dorsal fin. It had to be over 10 feet in length. My friend and I then got his friends out of the water and were able to inform the ranger.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Newport, Oregon — On January 22, 2009 Jay Sennewald and a companion were fishing for Ling Cod 1.5 miles offshore 4 miles South of Newport, Oregon. It was 4 PM and they had been fishing for about 3 hours. The water was 75 feet deep over a rocky reef with scattered sandy areas and 10 – 15 feet of visibility. Air and water temperatures were recorded at 50 and 48 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. There was a 4 foot swell with a slight chop. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Sennewald reported; “My friend had hooked a large ling cod and was pulling it in when we saw something very large and white about 15 feet below the boat. About 15 seconds later we were shocked to see the shark coming along the side of the boat, just cruising along. It had grabbed the ling cod just as we got it to the boat, then slowly swam off. No question as to species. It was 15 – 17 feet in length about 3 feet wide with a dorsal fin maybe 18+ inches tall. We could have touched is as it swam by the boat. It was just cruising along and left with a sweep of its tail.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre — On January 19, 2008 Jason Jacobs reported the following; “At about 2 PM while stand up paddling at Dog Patch Beach, San Onofre, Drew Fischer encountered a 7 foot Great White Shark. The shark breached 4 feet out of the water only 30 feet away from him. It came out of the water and did a role onto its side. I had just gotten out of the water. It is possible the shark may have been interested in a paddler who had his dog way out past the lineup. The dog was swimming around and thrashing in the water. Drew immediately caught a small wave in and exited the water. The other witness said he was scared to death and frantically paddled straight to the beach.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Morro Strand State Beach — On January 16, 2009 Russell Gruener was surfing with a companion at Morro Strand State Beach. It was 12:00 PM and the sky was clear with a mild offshore breeze. Air and water temperatures were estimated in the mid-70s and low-50s Fahrenheit respectively. Water was about 6 feet deep over a sandy ocean bottom with 15 – 20 feet of visibility. There was a large amount of baitfish and a single pinniped in the area. They had been on the water about one hour. Gruener reported; “My friend and had observed several small sharks, 1 – 3 feet in length, earlier during our session. After about an hour of surfing, I was paddling back out and observed a large shadow cruising slowly under the water. It was about 8 – 9 feet in length and grayish in color. After a wave passed and the water calmed a bit, I saw that it had the distinct shape and swimming pattern of a shark. It swam very slowly beneath my partner and continued North at a leisurely pace. We paddled into shore and observed it remain in our area for a few minutes. When the wind picked up and the water became less calm we were not able to see it any longer.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Clemente — On January 14, 2009 Dave Schulte was entering the water to surf at Riviera Beach near Seal Rock, between the pier and San Clemente State Beach. It was 7 AM with a sunny sky and light breeze. Water visibility was estimated at 15 – 20 feet with a temperature in the upper 50s Fahrenheit. The ocean was glassy with a one foot swell and ‘no bump on the water.’ Schulte reported; “I was walking towards the water when I noticed a lot of turbulence in the water next to Seal Rock about 500 yards from shore. The seals had moved quickly away from the waters edge and were barking and making noise’s like I have never heard before. Then I observed a Great White Shark, about 15 feet in length, with its head out of the water and mouth open. It continued to move throughout the area for at least 20 minutes. When the seals calmed down I went into the water, about 30 minutes later.” Dave Schulte is very familiar with juvenile and adult Great White Sharks having assisted in several of our research projects. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Clemente — On January 8, 2009 Richard Thornton was walking along the beach near Mariposa Street in San Clemente. It was 11 AM and the sky was slightly overcast. The ocean was glassy smooth with the surf running 1 – 2 feet. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Thornton reported; “I was called by a friend who told me that a Great White Shark was in the water by the pier and to hurry down to check it out. Another person I know had just seen possible the same shark at State Park 3 days prior. When I arrived we watched the shark thrash around in the water for several minutes. It was just outside the surf, 20 – 30 yards from shore. I estimate the shark to be 12 – 15 feet in length with huge fins, including a dorsal fin that was at least 18 inches high. It rolled at one point before lifting its entire head several feet out of the water. It was amazing how large It was. One surfer got out of the water right away and asked if it was a whale or something.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Salmon Creek Beach — On January 1, 2009 Michael Casey was body boarding South of Salmon Creek Beach, Sonoma County, California. It was 7:30 AM and he had been on the water 10 – 15 minutes. There was a cloudy sky with estimated air and water temperatures in the upper 40s and low 50s respectively. The sea conditions were a buoy reading 6 feet at 11 or 12 seconds and a light offshore wind with good water visibility. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Casey reported the following; “I had just paddled out with another surfer and I turned, perpendicular to the shore, and started moving to the South. As I was paddling to a spot I wanted to surf, I suddenly saw a dorsal fin, about 2 feet high, in the exact spot I was going to. It was approximately 30 – 40 yards in front of me traveling North and about 10 – 15 yards to the inside of me. The fin was slowly cruising through the water and I observed for about 3 seconds. The fin then rotated to the West, exposing very dark skin, followed by another fin that flopped topside. That was the last I saw of it. I started to paddle, as fast as I could, in the opposite direction, told the other surfer what I saw, and we both got out of the water as quickly as we could.” Michael Casey was attacked by a Great White Shark at Salmon Creek Beach on November 28, 2002. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
|
Oxnard — On June 14, 2009 Kevin Harris reported the following ; “While kayaking out of Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard today I observed three separate seal and sea lion carcasses. All had been decapitated. Two were by the breakwater wall and one was on the beach.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee. 
Solimar Beach Colony — On June 7, 2009 Ryan Johnson of Surfrider Foundation, San Clemente, reported the following; “ On Sunday morning, June 7 th , my wife and I were on the beach walking toward the North end of the Solimar Beach Colony in Ventura County. We eventually noticed some unusual birds in the sky, which appeared to be vultures. Sure enough, there were several vultures eating the carcasses of two different marine animals washed ashore. One was an unidentified juvenile shark, and the 
other was an adult sea lion. As we walked toward the carcasses, the vultures flew away so we could get a closer look. Based on the jagged teeth marks near the right pectoral fin and gills of the juvenile shark, this suggests the shark could have been attacked by a larger shark. The circular wound on the Sea Lion's belly also looks like it was attacked by a large predator. Both the small shark and the sea lion washed ashore in the same area, about 20 yards from each other.” The shark is a Sevengill (Notorynchus cepedianus) estimated to be 5 feet in length. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee. 
Leucadia State Beach — On June 4, 2009 Nathan Gaudioso and an unidentified companion were surfing at the North end of Leucadia State Beach, also referred to as Grandview Beach. It is the Northern most beach South of Carlsbad on the North Coast of San Diego County. It was 6 PM with a light Northwest breeze and scattered clouds. Air and water temperatures were estimated in the upper and lower 60s Fahrenheit respectively. Gaudioso recounted; “My friend and I were on our way out to surf this evening and to the North of stairs at Grandview Beach, about 100 yards, there was a large dead Sea Lion. I did not inspect the carcass for a wound, but there were a number of sea birds pecking at the remains. I did not see a shark while surfing, just the carcass on the beach.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee. 
Seal Beach — On May 5, 2009 Tony Aulenta was surfing Seal Beach in Orange County between Huntington Beach and Long Beach. He reported the following; “I was surfing Seal Beach this morning and came across this freshly bit/eaten seal. The carcass was fresh and had just rolled in. I thought this might help your research.” Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee. 
Cardiff
Beach — On April 9, 2009 Greg Ford
was part of a group of paddlers that left Cardiff Reef, in North
San Diego headed for Del Mar. It was sunny and cool with a light
breeze. He estimated the air and water temperatures in the upper
50s and lower 60s Fahrenheit respectively. Ford reported; “I
was a part of a group of paddlers that paddled from Cardiff Reef
South to Del Mar. When we left this morning at 6:30 the beach was
clear. On our return at around 8:15 we discovered a dead porpoise
on the beach with two significant bites taken from its body. Estimate
of about 8 -10" across for the larger bite. While in the water
there was a lot of feeding activity with sea lions and dolphins
feeding on the inside, close to the waves, and porpoises active
further out, about 1/2 mile. Fellow paddler Jamie Barger observed
two porpoises that were especially active, really charging an unknown
target.” Connie McDowell was going to the beach to surf.
She recounted the following; “I'm a report of a dolphin
that was washed up on the beach today at Cardiff State Beach. I
arrived at the beach around 9:00 am and there were two Sheriffs
who were looking at the dolphin. The dolphin had two bites. The
larger one was about 10 inches across and was on the underside of
the belly. The other was under the jaw. A while later two women
biologists (didn't find out where they were from) arrived to take
some samples. They determined that it had marks from a fishing line
or net. They speculated it could have died after getting tangled
in fishing gear and then been bitten by a scavenger shark. They
said that the common dolphins are much further out than the bottle-nose,
which are frequently observed in the surf. A lifeguard came by to
look at the dolphin.” Please report any shark sighting,
encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee
Morro
Bay — On February 18, 2009 Mike Baird
was walking along Morro Strand State Beach, Morro Bay at 5:00 PM.
He was 350 yards North of Azure Street when he observed an object
rolling in the sand and waves at the beach interface with the water.
The sky was clear with the air and water temperatures estimated
to be 60 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. Baird said that;
“upon closer examination the object was found to be a
dead female sea otter. I reported it to the local authorities, who
then informed California Fish & Game biologist Mike Harris.
He came down and removed the animal to his truck. Harris said that
it had been killed by a white shark and that the sharks never eat
the otter’s. He said that he's had to pick up several with
bites the past week or so.” Please report any shark sighting,
encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Hope
Ranch — On February 8, 2009 Harry
(last name withheld) found a dolphin carcass washed up on the beach
at Hope Ranch in Santa Barbara County. The animal appeared to be
a young adult. He estimated the bite at 14 – 15 inches in
diameter. The wound appears to have been inflicted by a large shark,
based on the size and observed tooth insertion points along the
injury edge. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack
to the Shark Research Committee.|
|