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Pacific Coast Shark News 2004The following reports for 2004 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.
Huntington Beach — On December 6, 2004, at 9:30 AM, John Thomas had been in the water about one hour and was surfing off the Huntington Beach Cliffs. It was overcast with a slight breeze. The surf was running 2 – 3 feet with a sandy mud bottom about 6 feet deep. Thomas recalled, “I was waiting for a wave when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I turned to see a dorsal fin slowly disappear under the water about 8 feet from where I was sitting on my board. The shark passed by me, about 2 feet away, and I could make out the type of shark very clearly. It was a Hammerhead Shark at least twice as long as my board, maybe 10 – 12 feet in length. I sat there in shock not believing what I had seen until the shark made another pass by me. I paddled back to shore, and observed the dorsal fin break the surface about 2 minutes after I had reached the shore." Although not generally observed close inshore, Hammerhead Sharks are frequent visitors to Southern California and caution should be exercised in their presence. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Ocean Beach — On November 28, 2004, Aaron Lauer was surfing off Ocean Beach, San Francisco, between Kirkham and Lawton. At 5:00 PM he had been in the water about 45 minutes and was 70 – 100 yards from shore. It was sunny with a light offshore wind. There was about 4 feet of visibility in water 10 – 15 feet deep with a sandy bottom and a 7 foot swell. Lauer observed a pinniped heading north about 40 feet from his location 30 seconds or so before he saw the shark. He recalled: “I was sitting on my board, farther out than the other surfers, waiting for a big set. I had been sitting for maybe 10 minutes. The shark’s dorsal fin appeared approximately 5' away from me. It was moving slowly, heading north. I had a perfect profile view against the horizon/sky. I couldn't determine the length of the shark as the visibility was limited and there was a glare over the water due to the evening light on the horizon as I was facing the sunset. I estimate the fin to be 18 – 24 inches in height. The notches on the trailing edge of the fin were somewhat uniform. They didn't look like bite marks, but were similar to most photos you see of great white dorsal fins. The skin also appeared a bit rough, rather than smooth. I observed the fin for a few seconds before I bolted to shore. It was a minus tide, but I was well beyond where the waves were consistently breaking.” White Sharks are known to frequent this area. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Ocean Beach — On November 16, 2004, at 6:30 AM, Matthew Ingram had been in the water about 20 minutes and was sitting on his surfboard facing the horizon 50 yards from shore. He was in front of Beach Chalet at Ocean Beach, San Francisco. It was foggy with the ocean calm and glassy with a head high clean swell. The water was about 10 feet deep with visibility 5 feet over a sandy ocean bottom. Ingram recalled: “I was intermittently paddling around in the water and sitting on my surfboard. I saw what looked like a tip of a dorsal fin protruding from the water about 6 inches. At the time I saw the fin I was sitting quietly. The fin emerged from the water about 10 meters away from me moving steadily directly towards me. The fin sliced the water and maintained a steady depth. I immediately turned towards the beach and paddled hard and at this time lost sight of the fin and did not see it again.” Sharks are known to frequent this area. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Catalina Island — On November 14, 2004 Ted Sharshan and a diving companion were counting invertebrates at Long Point/Italian Gardens, Catalina Island, as part of a research project for the Catalina Conservancy. The ocean floor was a steep grade with dominant kelp beds followed by a sandy bottom. The water depth was 75 feet, with 70 feet of visibility, and a recorded temperature of 61 degrees. The sea surface was calm with a slight current and no surge. Sharshan carried a dive slate and pvc pipe. There was a mild breeze under sunny sky's with a recorded temperature of 65 degrees. At 12:00 PM he had been in the water 35 minutes. Several pinnipeds were observed surfacing from time to time in the area. Sharshan recalled: “I was just leaving the transept line in 40 feet of water and swimming toward the boat, which was anchored in 70 feet of water about 10 degrees NE of my location, when I noticed a ‘shinny, whitish, object’ through the outer kelp going from my right to left, or east to west. I quickly swam toward the object to see what it was. By the time I got to the end of the kelp bed the object was about 20 feet away from me, at a 45 degree angle to my left, or west. Still unsure of the identification, I swam towards what I believed to be a dorsal fin. When I noticed its wide girth and gills in front of its pectoral fin I realized that it was a very large white shark and quickly swam back toward the kelp. My dive buddy was about 8 feet behind me and did not see it as close as I; however, we both determined it was about 18 feet in length.” White Sharks are known to frequent Catalina Island. Caution should be exercised whenever utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
North Jetty, Humboldt Bay — On November 11, 2004, at 1:30 PM, Brian Kang, 38, and his surfing companion, Jennifer Savage, where outside of the breakers, about 200 yards from the beach, at “Bunkers,” which is located at the North Jetty to Humboldt Bay, California. The ocean was calm and flat. The shark knocked Kang off his small board then turned and came back for him. He hit the shark on the nose and fought with it for several seconds. Kang climbed back on his board and paddled to shore where friends called 911. They transported him towards the town of Eureka where he was met by an ambulance. He sustained injuries to his hand, knee and thigh with his thumb almost severed. Surgery was performed yesterday with a prognosis for complete recovery. Witnesses to the attack said the shark’s dorsal fin was 3 feet high. White Sharks are known to frequent this area. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee. This incident makes 2004 the most active year every recorded for shark attacks on humans along the Pacific Coast of North America.
North Cannon Beach, Oregon — On November 7, 2004, Jeremy Matherly came upon "a dead seal on the beach with what appeared to be a large shark bite taken out of its side and another bite on its back." White Sharks are known to frequent this location. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sightings, encounters or predations to the Shark Research Committee.
Morro Bay — On Friday, November 5, 2004, Eric Endersby, Chief Harbor Patrol Officer, confirmed the report by three local surfers of a shark off the ‘South Jetty’ at the entrance to the harbor. At about 8:30 AM a dorsal fin, about 18 inches in height, was observed 100 yards from the beach in water 20 feet deep. The three surfers exited the water without incident. White sharks are known to frequent this area. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
San Clemente — On October 17, 2004 Gabe Tuft and his nephew were surfing on the North side of the San Clemente pier at 4:00 PM. They were 75 yards from shore and had been in the water about two hours. Tuft recalled: “It was storm surf conditions following a rain with very poor water visibility. The dark gray dorsal fin was the first thing I noticed. It was approximately one foot in height and was just sitting still in the water. I was about 10 feet away when I swam closer to see what it was because all I could see at first was the dorsal fin because of the poor water visibility. As I got closer, approximately 5 feet, the shark moved slightly but didn't swim away. It was a dark color. At that point I could see the body and I realized it was a shark. I promptly told my nephew to paddle in and I followed him. I reported the sighting to the lifeguards on the pier and they took a report.” The size and color of the dorsal fin suggest a white shark. They have been reported from this location over the prior months. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Anacapa Island — On October, 14, 2004, James Lindholm, Marine Ecologist with the Pfleger Institute, encountered a white shark while SCUBA diving the State Marine Conservation Area at Anacapa Island, Santa Barbara. The sky was overcast and there were 1-2 ft ocean groundswells with 20-30 ft of water visibility and a recorded water temperature of 63° F. The ocean floor was primarily sand with isolated rocky reefs. Several pinnipeds were observed at the surface but none below. Lindholm entered the water at 8:40 AM and had only been in the water about one minute when he encountered the shark. Lindholm recounted; “I had just entered the water to collect and replace an acoustic receiver used to track surgically-tagged fishes. The dive line was attached to a down weight located in 80 feet of water. After dropping down the dive line, I stopped at 70 ft and looked up slope (knowing that the acoustic receiver was deployed at that depth). I did not immediately see the receiver or the two small subsurface floats that maintain the receiver 15 ft off the seafloor. I then engaged my scooter to begin a search for the receiver. Approximately 10 seconds after beginning the search, I saw a white shark 30 ft away swim slowly toward me from my right. The shark was 3 ft off the seafloor. I immediately killed the scooter and dropped to the seafloor (which put me at a depth of 80 feet). The shark proceeded another 10 ft and then turned and swam out of sight in the direction from which it had come. I clipped off the scooter to the dive line and lay on the bottom looking in the direction of the shark's last position. Within 5 seconds the shark returned, swimming slowly toward me. After initially swimming directly toward me, it changed direction slightly and passed by me at a distance of 15-20 ft, up-slope at a depth of 70-75 ft (still 3ft off the bottom). At this time I had a very good look at the shark. It was 10-12 ft in total length with no claspers visible. I observed no scars. The shark proceeded past me and swam out of sight to my left. After a couple of minutes without another sighting of the shark, I began a slow ascent along the dive line, leaving the scooter clipped to the line. I ascended slowly, scanning for the shark in all directions. I did not see the shark again. Upon surfacing I swam to the boat about 30 ft away and exited the water. The total dive time was 8 minutes. The surface team had not observed the shark. We elected to complete our diving for the day on the south side of the island and did not dive again in the vicinity of the sighting that day.” White sharks are known to frequent the Channel Islands, especially Anacapa Island and the West end of San Miguel Island. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Morro Rock/Shell Beach — On Thursday, October 14, 2004, multiple shark sightings were reported at Shell Beach and Morro Rock, Morro Bay. The first occurred at about 10:30 AM when a fisherman reported sighting a dorsal fin, 18 inches high, near White Rock in Shell Beach. Eric Endersby, Chief Harbor Patrol Officer, Morro Bay, reported that surfer David Talmage sighted a large shark just north of Morro Rock at about 12:00 PM. Endersby said that a Park Ranger on beach patrol later in the day observed a large shark in the surf at 4:00 PM, about 1.5 miles north of Morro Rock at Morro Strand Beach. There are no plans to close the beaches; however, beach goers are being advised of the recent shark sightings. White sharks are known to frequent this area. Caution should be exercised when using this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
San Clemente/204 — On Wednesday, October 13, 2004 the following email was received by the editor of Surfline.com. “Many of us that surf 204 have been seeing the shark that bit that guy out in the line up (August 20, 2004 this page). Almost daily he [the shark] comes in real close to feed off the smaller fish in the area. He [the shark] is not that big, but sometimes two foot long fish jump out of the water trying to get away from him. The day the guy got bit I saw the tip of his [the shark] fin zipping around after fish and the other day I saw most of the body and all of his dorsal fin as he went after a fish about ten feet from me.” Juvenile white sharks have been reported from this area for more than three months. Although they are small they can inflict a serious wound as noted by the injury to Shannon Lehmann, August 20, 2004. Caution should be exercised when using this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Oceano Dunes Beach — On Tuesday, October 12, 2004, Greg Weisberg, Marine Safety Supervisor for Port San Luis, reported a Park Service Ranger had been informed by a beach visitor that they had observed a shark’s dorsal fin 100 yards North of Grand Avenue and 75 yards off the beach at Oceano Dunes. The sighting occurred at 8:30 AM. The shark was estimated to be 10 – 12 feet in length, based on the distance between the dorsal fin and tail. Weisberg said signs had been posted at the beach entrances advising visitors that a shark had been sighted in the area. Warning signs were also still posted at Pismo and Avila Beaches. White sharks are known to frequent this area. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Limantour Beach — On Sunday, October 10, 2004, at 9:30 AM, 54-year-old surfer Peter DeJung of San Rafael was attacked by a white shark at Limantour Beach in the Point Reyes National Seashore, located 50 miles North of San Francisco. He was sitting upright on his board 200 yards from the beach when a purported 6 – 8 foot white shark grabbed hold of his right leg. DeJung struck the shark on the head whereupon it released its hold and swam off. He came ashore unassisted and used his cell phone to call 911. He was flown by Sonoma County helicopter Henry 1 to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. DeJung suffered an eight-inch laceration to his right calf in addition to several individual tooth punctures. Limantour and Drakes Beaches were closed to all ocean water activities following the attack according to Park Superintendent Don Neubacher. If there are no further shark sightings the beaches will be reopened Saturday morning, October 16, 2004. White sharks are known to frequent the Point Reyes area. Extreme caution should be exercised whenever utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Pacific Beach — On Saturday, October 9, 2004 at 10:50 a.m. George Najjar was straight off Law Street in Pacific Beach, San Diego. George reported; “I was doing a surf check from an elevated height around 750 feet away. I live across the street from the beach and have surfed this spot 100's of times over the last decade. A large set wave came through, jacked up outside, then I saw in the sunlit blue wave the shadow outline of a huge fish. I expected the shadow to be a big dolphin about to shoot down the face, but instead the shadow stayed in the wave and became more defined and sideways as the wave jacked. I clearly saw the full outline of a huge ‘fish’ (I'll estimate conservatively at 12'+, but I truly believe it was 15"+) on the 6' face of the outside wave. After the wave broke, I never saw the fish again. I watched for at least 20 minutes more, but saw no fin, nothing odd. There were 6-10 surfers 50 yards or more away on each side of the shadow, but it seemed to be in its own area and not really moving. The shark was headed south.” White sharks are known to frequent this location. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Sunset Beach — On Friday, October 8, 2004 Simon Jacks and a friend had been surfing for about one hour at Sunset Beach, Pacific Palisades. It was 8:30 AM and the sky was overcast. The water was about 5 feet deep and the swell was small. Simon recalled; “I was paddling back out after just catching a wave when I sat up on my board and observed a shark, dark grey in color and 6 – 8 feet in length, swim under my board. The shark swam between me and my friend a couple of times then disappeared. A number of baitfish had been breaking the surface since we had paddled out.” Juvenile and sub-adult white sharks are known to frequent this area. Caution should be exercised when using this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Port San Luis Beach Closures — On Friday, October 8, 2004 Casey Neilsen, Port San Luis operations manager, announced that Avila Beach, Olde Port Beach and Fishermen’s Beach would be closed to all ocean water contact activities through the Columbus Day weekend. This is in response to the recent shark attack on Ben Ikola at Pismo Beach and several shark sightings. If there are no further shark sightings reported for this area, the beaches will reopen on Monday, October 11, 2004.
Pismo Beach — On Thursday, October 7, 2004, at 10:55 AM, a large shark was observed south of the Pismo Beach pier. Greg Weisberg reported “the beach was currently closed and would remain closed to all ocean water activities until next Monday, October 11, 2004. If there are no further sightings the beach would reopen as scheduled.” Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Pismo Beach — On Wednesday, October 6, 2004, a large shark was reported north of the Pismo Beach pier. This was near the location of Ben Ikola’s shark attack on Saturday, October 2, 2004. Greg Weisberg said Pismo Beach would be closed to all water activities until Monday, October 11, 2004. This is a precautionary measure that will be reviewed prior to the beach being opened. Please report all sightings and encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Pismo Beach — On Saturday, October 2, 2004, at 3:30 PM, Ben Ikola and his cousin, Jon, were surfing off Pismo Beach, 150 yards south of the pier and 50 – 60 yards from the beach. They had attempted to surf Oceano for about 30 minutes, but the wave conditions were not conducive for good surfing. They decided to try another location and walked north to an area near the pier. They had been in the water about 15 minutes. The sky was clear and water visibility poor with a depth of 4 – 5 feet. Although pinnipeds are known to frequent the area, none were observed in the water. They had ridden 2 or 3 waves and were heading back out to the lineup. Ben recalled: “I was lying on my stomach moving through the waves. My board began to shake for two or three seconds and I felt something brush up against my leg. Then my board suddenly flipped forward and I was tossed into the water. Then I saw this dorsal fin sticking out of the water and I began kicking. I got back up on my board and yelled to Jon. We both went ashore. I did not see the shark again.” Damage to the surfboard’s bottom consisted of several lower jaw tooth impressions that are identifiable as belonging to a 3 meter white shark. Caution should be exercised when using this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Huntington Beach — On October 1, 2004, Chuck Wilson and Mike Burns were surfing 100 yards from shore in front of Lifeguard Tower 16 at Huntington Beach. It was 2:00 PM and they had been in the water about one hour. The water was 10 feet deep and extremely clear. There was an abundance of baitfish, which appeared to be grunion. Wilson recalled; “We both took off on a wave and on the paddle back out an entire school of bait fish jumped clear out of the water in front of us. We both looked at each other and said something must have scared them, thinking Yellowtail or Sand Bass. We continued to surf in the area for a while when we decided it was time to go. I paddled out towards a wave and began to turn my 9' 0 Robert August to catch the wave when something hit the back of my board and spun me back at the wave, at first I thought Mike had kicked my board so he could catch the wave but he was already gone. The strike was on the right side of my board which turned me about 90 degrees away from the beach toward the oncoming wave. I thought to myself, ‘What the hell was that?’ I sat up on my board and looked into the crystal clear water and saw a large torpedo shaped object slowly cruising under me. It all happened so fast but I did get a look at the shark that was cruising about 3 feet below my board. I would estimate it to be about 6 feet in length, grayish brown in color and very ‘girthy.’ At that moment I knew it was a shark and paddled like Gilligan towards the beach. Someone could have water-skied behind me. I yelled to Mike to let him know I was bumped and he hurried out of the water too. It scared the life out of me! I reported the incident to Huntington Beach Life Guard Headquarters and they took a report.” This incident is classified as an unprovoked shark attack. By definition any physical contact between a shark and a human, or a piece of equipment being utilized in an ocean activity by the subject, without any known provocative actions being directed at the shark by the subject, constitutes an unprovoked shark attack. Similar, non-injury, incidents from California were reported from Salmon Creek, Trail # 1 San Onofre, and Pismo Beach earlier this year. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this area for your water activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Columbia River, Oregon — On September 23, 2004 at 3:15 PM, Jeremy Youngquist was 300 – 400 yards from the beach near the Columbia River South Jetty (ocean side). The sky was clear and there was a 15 knot wind with the surf running 5 – 6 feet at 8 – 10 second intervals. Water visibility was excellent as the sandy bottom and short algae plants could be seen from the surface at a depth of about 10 feet. He had been in the water about 75 minutes. Youngquist reported; “I was sitting on my board just outside of the lineup. I had just paddled back out from catching a wave. I had been sitting on the board for a couple of minutes when I noticed something moving beneath me. The visibility in the water was very good and I could clearly make out characteristics of the ocean floor. I looked down and could clearly see the form of a shark circling below me. The top of the shark's body was very dark, almost black, and I could see its tail section move back and forth as it swam. It seemed to be 8 – 10 feet in length. I watched it circle me 1 1/2 times before I instinctively tried to get as much of my body as possible onto my surfboard. I then turned the nose of the board toward shore, trying to splash as little as possible. I paddled toward shore and caught the first wave that came from behind me, 5 – 10 seconds after turning my board toward shore. I stayed on my stomach so that I could ride the wave all of the way to shore as quickly as possible. The shark was very dark, almost black on top. I believe it was a white shark. There are usually about a 100 seals in this area, however, I saw none. Also, I did not see any birds on the water or diving for fish, which is usually the case. When I returned to shore there were many birds on the beach. Another surfer I spoke with following my encounter told me he saw a large white shark breach up out of the water and grab a pelican the week before at the same location.” White sharks are known to frequent the areas near river mouths during salmon spawns. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this area for your water activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Gold Beach, Oregon — On September 20, 2004 surfer Seth Mead was 50 yards from shore and 35 yards South of the jetty at Gold Beach, Oregon, which is adjacent to the mouth of the Rogue River. Salmon use the river for their spawns and the area is also frequented by pinnipeds, which feed on the spawning fish. Mead observed an undetermined number of harbor seals in the water that were scattered throughout the area. It was sunny with a light, 5 – 10 mph, breeze from the East. Seth had looked at his watch when he entered the water with a companion. It was 6:50 AM. At 8:30 AM his companion went ashore for work, leaving Seth alone in the water. At 8:45 AM he was sitting upright on his board, legs astride, facing out to sea. Seth recalled; “I was watching for a set when the shark came from directly beneath me, striking the board on my right side. It hit me with such force that the board and I were lifted out of the water, as I rotated before landing back in the ocean. The shark had grabbed hold of my lower right leg and foot when it struck. I rode my board into the beach and then drove my car to a law enforcement vehicle that was parked nearby. The officer called the Para Medics and I was taken to the hospital.” Mead’s wounds were sutured and cleaned and he was sent home. Mead described the shark as; “A white shark that was dark gray with a mouth larger than the circumference of the circle made by his arms.” This is the third attack from this ‘recurring location.’ Caution should be exercised when using this area for your ocean water activities, especially during salmon and steelhead spawns. Please report any shark sighting or encounter to the Shark Research Committee.
Waddell Creek — On September 19, 2004, Perry DiBenedetto and Steve Shiner were surfing Waddell Creek reef below Big Creek Lumber. The ocean floor is a flat reef with some kelp plants scattered throughout the area. At 9:00 AM they had been in the water for an hour and were about 30 yards from shore. It was overcast with a light rain and an estimated air temperature of 57°F. There was a moderate swell with a slight offshore flow and a ‘gray light’ reflecting off the sea surface. The water temperature was about 53°F and visibility 2 feet. DiBenedetto reported, “There was a small elephant seal swimming erratically and jumping out of the water near several surfers. We also saw a decapitated elephant seal on the beach in close proximity to the surfers on the reef.” DiBenedetto recounted; “We were surfing Platforms and the corner as the better waves had nice barrel sections. During a lull between sets Steve commented about the spooky feel of the water and reef. About ten minutes later a seal jumped out of the water right behind Steve. I made comment that I hoped the seal was just being playful and not being chased by a white shark. The seal continued with erratic leaps out of the water near several surfers. We decide to paddle over to the corner as there was only one surfer riding the walled up lefts. I was sitting outside Steve when a wave began to show a slight crest. A triangular fin appeared on the wave. The fin was about 8 inches high. The body of the shark was a light gray with the fin being slightly darker. The fin was traveling diagonally on the surface of the wave at a fairly high rate of speed. I was sitting about 15 yards away. The shark continued advancing towards me. I turned to Steve and said ‘shark’ and started paddling in. Steve saw the fin surface twice about 15 seconds before I noticed it. Needless to say we paddled so hard for shore we could have towed a water skier behind us. Steve saw the fin following us to shore. We told two other surfers who were pushing through the white water what we had seen and they turned around and went straight to the beach.” DiBenedetto described the shark as “a dark gray color about 6 feet in length.” Although a positive identification of the shark is not possible, white sharks are known to frequent this area. Caution should be exercised when using this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Manresa State Beach — On September 16, 2004, D. J. was riding a short board off Manresa State Beach at 8:30 AM. He had been in the water two hours and the sea conditions were 6 foot glassy swells. He had observed an undetermined number of pinnipeds in the area and it was foggy. D. J. recalled; “I was sitting on my board paddling for waves. I thought I saw something in the water near me, but I ignored it. It gave the appearance like something big had just gone under. About 10 minutes later I saw the shark It was moving really slow away from the beach in 5 feet of water. Its dorsal fin was about 1 ½ feet high.” There have been a number of recent authenticated sightings of white sharks at this location. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Ocean Beach — On September 9, 2004 Benjamin Wheeler was 40 yards from shore, in 10 feet of water at the South end of Ocean Beach, San Francisco, riding a 10 ft baby blue long board. It was about mid-day and he had been in the water 2 hours. The sky was clear and there was a light wind chop on the sea surface. He had observed several dolphins prior to the encounter. Wheeler recounted; “I was paddling pretty erratically, back and forth, from the surf line to the beach trying to get as many waves as possible before the wind blew it out. There was another guy out on a hybrid but not paddling for waves very hard. A fin popped out of the water about 20 ft in front of us and then went back underwater. We got out and talked it over. We both agreed it was not a dolphin fin and we were done for the day. We alerted a few others in the area, but they did not seem to care.” Wheeler said the fin was approximately 2.5 ft high and looked like a shark fin. White sharks are known to frequent the area in and around Ocean Beach. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Manresa State Beach — On September 7, 2004 Dane Ryan was surfing 50 yards from shore and 1/4 mile North of Manresa-Sunset. He recalled; “It was about 9:30 AM and I had been out for one hour. The sky was clear and the sea calm. A small pod of dolphins were in the area about 30 minutes before the encounter. I heard two surfers yell and turned toward shore to see a shark do a big turn about 10 yards from me. It made a very large ‘boil’ in the water, suggesting to me the animal would have been approximately 15 feet in length. I also saw a white sea bird that had been under water about 20 yards from me come blasting out of the water and take off. After sitting for several seconds observing the water around me, I paddled slowly to shore. To be sure this was not a whale, I watched for a spout while exiting the water and while walking 200 yards north up the beach to my car. I did not see one.” This location is near to the September 1, 2004 Don Moulds encounter at Manresa-Sunset State Beach. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Pompino State Beach — On September 6, 2004, Darren Shafae, Lance McNight, and his uncle Kelley, were about 200 feet from shore and a quarter mile South of Pomponio State Beach, which is 1.5 – 2 miles North of Pescadero State Beach. Darren recounted; “It was sunny and calm with little wind and the surf running 2-3 feet. Water visibility was 3 – 5 feet and the depth about 8 feet. At 9:15 AM we had been in the water for about one hour. Kelley spotted the shark first and yelled ‘Big Fish.’ I immediately swung my head around and saw the shark about 20 feet from our location. Lance and Kelley said the shark was about 14 feet in length, gray in color, and was swimming from side to side and moving extremely fast. It moved parallel to us for several seconds before we paddled in to the beach. Several other surfers were down the beach and we tried to notify them but they seemed to pay no attention.” White sharks are known to frequent these waters. Caution should be exercised when using this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
South Beach, Oregon — On September 5, 2004, Charlie Plybon, Aquarium Educator, Oregon Coast Aquarium, was surfing with a friend about 100 yards from the beach and just north of South Beach State Park (near blue pole). It was 9:30 AM and the sky was clear. There were 4 – 5 foot swells and the water was 10 – 15 feet deep with the temperature 52 – 55° F. They had been in the water about 15 minutes prior to the shark encounter. Plybon and his companion observed “two small harbor porpoises” as they paddled out through the surf. Plybon recalled; “My friend and I had just paddled out and were lining up on an incoming set of waves. My friend was about 10 yards away from me and we waited...eventually letting the waves pass us by. I turned and started to paddle south down the beach and heard something break the water behind me. Alarmed, I turned and saw a fin break the surface of the water in a quick turn and disappear, maybe a hundred yards from our location. I was sitting on my board, legs dangling when I saw the fin again. This time it was close, maybe 20 yards away. The fin rose to 2 – 3 feet out of the water. The upper lobe of the caudal fin followed at least 4 - 6 feet behind the dorsal fin. I then realized it was a shark. With its dorsal and caudal fin somewhat exposed it was moving quick enough to create a small wake coming straight at me. I was frozen, sitting on my board fully focused on the shark. It slowed down and submerged about 10 yards from me. Its shadow seemed nearly as wide as a small car. It moved under my board and turned up looking at me. As it pitched its bodied in the turn, a pectoral fin rose out of the water nearly hitting my board. On the other side of my board I looked down and clearly saw its scarred snout, giant eye and flared gills. As the shark rose towards my board it abruptly turned its head away, splashing its tail fin in one fluid movement. In this one motion it had turned and began smoothly swimming away. That's when the adrenaline kicked in. My entire body went numb and I began to shake. I paddled a terrifying 100 yards to a group of people and caught the first wave in. My friend and I were both rather shaky, but the others stayed in the water not really believing what had happened.” Plybon described the shark as; “being longer than his board and very wide and deep bodied. It had numerous scars on its nose and a deep black eye about the size of my fist with dramatic counter shading from grayish blue to white. The dorsal fin appeared to rise 2 feet above the water.” White sharks are known to frequent the Oregon coastal areas near river mouths and bays. Caution should be exercised when utilizing these areas for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Stinson Beach — On September 3, 2004, Shannon Jay, Park Ranger, Golden Gate National Recreation Park said signs would be posted that would limit bathers to only knee-deep wading through the Labor Day weekend. A Marin County Sheriff’s helicopter pilot observed a large white shark beyond the surf zone between 5:30 and 6:30 AM this morning. This restriction follows a similar ban from last Sunday, August 29, that prohibited ocean-goers from any water activities except knee-deep wading. Signs will be posted and extra park patrols will enforce the ban. In May 2002 surfer Lee Fontan was attacked by a white shark at Stinson Beach. Caution should be exercised when using this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sighting or encounter to the Shark Research Committee.
Morro Strand Beach, Morro Bay — On September 2, 2004, at about 8:00 PM, Brian Diaz and a surfing companion were about 100 yards from shore at Morro Strand Beach, located one mile North of Morro Rock, Morro Bay. Diaz reported that he and his companion observed a shark swimming at the surface 20 feet from their location. "We had been in the water 30 - 40 minutes and it was fairly dark when we observed the shark. It was at least 6 feet from the dorsal fin to the tail and the shark was dark gray in color. My guess would be a white shark because of its tail and size,” recounted Diaz. He continued; “The shark swam within 5 feet of my companion.” White sharks are known to frequent Morro Bay. Caution should be exercised when using this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Manresa-Sunset State Beach — On September 1, 2004 at about 9:45 AM, Don Moulds and a surfing companion were at Manresa-Sunset State Beach near Watsonville in Monterey Bay. It was foggy with little or no wind and the ocean was calm with 2-3 foot NW swells. Moulds recounted; “While waiting for a set wave, my surfing partner and I observed a shark swimming about 100 m from our position, and 25 m from the beach. The dorsal and tail appeared to be about 6 feet apart and somewhere between 18 - 24 inches high. The shark swam from the South end of the beach to the North over the course of several minutes, never appearing to come any closer to shore. We were sitting in about 6 feet of water, and from previous surfing experience at Manresa-Sunset the shark would have probably been in water at least 12 feet deep. After initially sighting the shark, we headed into the beach. A few pelicans were present and I had seen a harbor seal playing in the surf on the inside. Various other sea birds had been feeding regularly for the hour I had been out. There were probably a dozen or so other surfers in the water up and down the beach.” It is suggested that caution be exercised when utilizing this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Cape Kiwanda, Oregon — On August 22, 2004 Rick Olson and a surfing companion, Kevin, were at Cape Kiwanda, Oregon, about 70-80 feet from shore in water about 20 feet deep with waves about 5 feet. It was about 3:00 PM and the sky was clear. Rick and Kevin had been in the water about 30 minutes. Rick reported, “We had paddled out past the breaks and waited for a set to come in. Realizing we were out too far, we paddled back in 15-20 feet. We turned around and looked out towards the open sea and that’s when we spotted the shark about 15 feet away. The shark came to the surface and rolled towards us. I think it was a white shark because it rolled over and the back was a dark gray and the belly was white. We looked at each other and after a moment or two began paddling toward shore. We did not see the shark again.” White sharks are known to frequent the Cape Kiwanda area. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
San Clemente — On August 20, 2004 Shannon Lehmann, Hank Fos, Vance Davis and Davyd Arend were surfing at 204s and North Beach, San Clemente. It was 5:30 PM and they were 20 – 25 yards from the beach, just beyond the break. There were 10 – 15 other surfers in the water. Lehmann had been in the water about 20 minutes. The ocean was calm and the water clear and about 5 feet deep. Lehamann recalled; “There was a large amount of baitfish in the water that would frequently ‘churn-up the surface with some flying completely out of the water.’ I felt something brush against my right leg and when I lifted it to see what had struck me a small gray shark, 3 – 4 feet in length, grabbed my right foot and shook it twice before it released me and swam off. There were cuts on the top and bottom of my foot extending from my little toe to my big toe. The skin on the top of my toes was also cut and abraded and there were razor-like cuts to the bottom of my foot. I saw the shark’s mouth clearly when it came to the surface attached to my foot; it was about 4 – 5 inches in width.” Davyd Arend was 20 – 30 feet North of Lehmann and noticed a number of baitfish “come flying” out of the water several seconds following the attack. Arend recounted; “A second or two later I saw a shark, 3 – 4 feet in length, swim below my surfboard, heading North.” Lehamann was treated at a local hospital’s emergency room and released. Physicians cleaned and dressed his wounds and antibiotics were prescribed. Arend described the shark as “very thick bodied, gray in color and 3 – 4 feet in length.” Interspace measurements of the razor-like cuts to the bottom of Lehmann’s right foot are consistent with lower jaw dentition interspaces of a juvenile white shark 37 - 43 inches in total length. This is the first authenticated unprovoked juvenile white shark attack on a human recorded off the Pacific Coast of North America. As noted previously, grunion were spawning the day of the attack and large schools were observed being chased by predators. Juvenile white sharks are known to frequent beaches used by grunion during their spawns. Caution should be exercised when utilizing these areas for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Humboldt Bay — On August 22, 2004 Ron Warner, California Dept Fish & Game (retired), heard a fishermen on VHF report spotting a very large white shark off Humboldt Bay, Northern California. He claimed the dorsal fin was at least 2 feet out of the water. In January of this year Jim Fortuna reported; “While walking along the south jetty of Humboldt Bay, I observed several dolphins on the ocean side of the jetty. Their behavior was somewhat odd as I watched them begin to head south in a hurried, disorganized manner. Then I realized they were fleeing from something. Suddenly a very large white shark popped to the surface. It launched itself out of the back side of a wave and shot across a ditch between the waves exposing its whole body. It skipped over several waves before disappearing beneath the water. I would estimate the size of this shark at 20 feet of more.” White sharks are known to frequent the area around Humboldt Bay. It is suggested that caution be exercised when using this area for your ocean activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On August 17, 2004 Kenny Fowlkes reported; “At 11:00 AM I was surfing with my father, Steven, North of San Onofre at a surf break called Church's, which is located one-third of a mile South of Lower Trestles and ¾ of a mile North of Old Man’s. We had been in the water about 90 minutes and I was about 100 yards from shore with my father 20 yards from my location. I saw the shark swimming North of our location. The shark was 6-8 ft in length and dark in color. After watching it for a few minutes it disappeared in the distance.” White sharks are known to frequent this area and have been observed numerous times this year. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
San Clemente — On August 17, 2004 Jerry Cibilich, San Clemente Lifeguard, reported; “At Riviera, near Tower # 4, a white shark, estimated at 9 feet in length, was observed outside the surfline, 200 yards from shore. It was headed toward Seal Rock, which is about 800 yards from the beach. A Cal Fish & Game biologist on work leave believed he observed a number of pinnipeds haul out of the water onto the rock as the shark approached.” White sharks are known to frequent the area North and South of San Onofre. Caution should be exercised when using this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Fort Bragg — On August 15, 2004, at about 4:30 PM, Randy Fry, age 50, was fatally injured by a white shark while free diving for abalone 100 yards from shore, in 15 feet of water, near Kibesillah Rock, located north of Ten Mile River Beach and about 8 miles north of Fort Bragg. Red Bartley was in a fishing boat nearby while Fry and his dive partner, Cliff Zimmerman, dove for abalone. The sky was clear and the two divers had been in the water about fifteen minutes. Fry had just started his dive and was underwater when a white shark, 16 – 18 feet in length, swam past Zimmerman and struck Fry. A moment later Zimmerman observed a “pool of blood” in the water where Fry had just submerged. Zimmerman swam to his boat and was helped aboard by Bartley. They made a “Mayday” call on their VHF, which summoned a nearby angler in an aluminum boat. The United States Coast Guard cutter arrived on scene accompanied by their search and rescue helicopter. The search was called off at sunset. Fry’s body was recovered late morning on August 16, 2004 by the USCG. Randy Fry was an influential member of the Recreational Fishing Alliance and was respected and admired by all who knew him. Condolences and deepest sympathy to his family and friends.
San Onofre State Beach — On August 15, 2004 Greg Hulsizer reported; “I was sitting on my 9' green and yellow surfboard casting and retrieving lures while fishing for bass and halibut. It was 9:30 AM and I had been in the water about 90 minutes. I had caught a few fish when I suddenly noticed a fin traveling on the surface. The shark was traveling south from Upper Trestles towards Lower Trestles, approximately 100 yards from the beach and 30 yards outside the surfline. I only observed it for about 45 seconds before it disappeared out of sight. There were also about 15 surfers in the immediate area. It was just swimming south on the surface, kind of in an 'S' motion.” White sharks have been reported frequently from this location. Please exercise caution when using this area for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
San Clemente — On August 13, 2004 Jerry Cibilich, San Clemente Lifeguard reported; “A shark, about 9 feet in length, was reported off Cotton's Point. It swam through the lineup and was not seen again. It did not approach any of the surfers in the water.” This area is just North of San Onofre. Caution should be exercised when using this area for your water activities. Please report any shark sightings or encounters to the Shark Research Committee.
Ocean Beach — On August 10, 2004 Jack Dyer reported; “At 2:00 PM today, just prior to entering the water to surf, I observed a white shark, about 15 feet in length, attack and kill an elephant seal at South Ocean Beach, San Francisco. The shark decapitated the seal and then proceeded to feed on the dead animal. Several seals were observed cruising about the area as they normally do.” White sharks are known to frequent this area. Caution is advised when using this area for your ocean activities. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On August 10, 2004 Dave Schulte reported, “At 11:30 AM today I observed a white shark, 6 – 8 feet in length, about 30 – 50 yards from shore just a little north of the Lifeguard Tower at Trail # 1. The swell was small and the water was very clear and 5 – 10 feet deep. I’m familiar with the water depth at this location having surfed this area for many years. From the cliffs above Trail # 1 I was able to video tape the shark cruising just below the surface. I watched the shark for about 30 minutes as it traveled north from the reef then turned around and traveled south back to the reef.” Adult and juvenile white sharks are known to frequent this location. In June of this year a white shark rammed the surfboard of Kelly French at Trail # 1. Caution should be exercised when using this area. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Ocean Beach — On August 7, 2004, 'Maz' emailed the following; “While surfing with my friend at about 8:00 PM near Pacheco Street, Ocean Beach, San Francisco, we observed a dorsal fin, 12 to 15 inches in height, about 10 yards from our location. It appeared the shark was feeding on something as birds were diving in the water around it.” White sharks have been reported frequently from this location. It is suggested that caution be exercised while using this area for your ocean activity. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Atascadero Beach — On August 7, 2004 Katie O’Neill was surfing with a friend at Atascadero Beach, Morro Bay. It was slightly ‘foggy’ with 2 to 4 foot waves. O’Neill had been in the water about one hour and it was mid-morning. She recalled; “I was sitting on my board waiting for the next set when a shark, 6 to 8 feet in length, dark gray and black on top and white on the bottom, swan from my right to my left. I was looking at my friends when I first saw the shark. It went under the front of my surfboard and behind my friends that were about 10 feet away. I didn’t stick around long enough to see if it would come back. I don't know how long the shark might have been in the area before we saw it.” This is the same area where a large shark were sighted on July 29, 2004 by John Hamers, which followed an earlier sighting on July 2, 2004 by Piper Heisig and Amy Thompson. White sharks are known to frequent this area. Exercise caution when using this area for your ocean activity. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Miramar Beach — On August 5, 2004 Patrick McConnell reported; “At about 3:30 PM, at Miramar Beach, Half Moon Bay, my friends and I sighted and photographed a 10 to 12 inch dorsal fin of a shark. The sighting was slightly north of the parking lot of the Miramar Beach Restaurant. The shark remained in the area for about 5 minutes before dropping out of sight. The shark was observed by a number of individuals in the area.” Over the prior decades there have been a number of white shark sightings and encounters with humans in Half Moon Bay. Caution should be exercised when using this area for any ocean activity. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On Tuesday, 27 July 2004, Gray Richards, San Onofre State Lifeguard, reported surfer Jim Pomeroy observed a large shark, between 8 and 9 AM, about 30 yards beyond the surf line at ‘Old Mans,’ which is located north of the San Onofre Power Plant. The shark was heading in a southerly direction. Other surfers in the area also reported sighting the shark. This is the same area where Kelly French's surfboard was struck by a White Shark in June 2004. It is suggested that caution be exercised while using this area for your ocean activity. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Linda Mar Beach — On Monday, 26 July 2004, J.J. Powell was about 75 yards from shore at the north end of Linda Mar Beach. It was 12:05 PM and he had been in the water about an hour. There were 9 or 10 other surfers in this area with four surfers just south of his location. It was sunny with a brisk wind and the water was “very murky, almost a reddish color.” Three Harbor Seals were observed inside of the surfers in the white water. JJ recounted, “I saw a dorsal fin, 12 to 18 inches in height, about 125 yards from the beach or 50 yards further out from where I was in the lineup. The shark’s dorsal fin seemed to be shifting back and forth as if the shark were twisting in the water. The shark rolled slightly to one side and its tail, which was very large, came out of the water as it moved from side to side. I thought I saw a ‘hump’ in the water near the shark. It appeared to me as though the shark might have been feeding on something. One of the other surfers thought he saw something spotted floating in the water near his location. We decided to alert the other surfers in the area and began yelling to get their attention. After we exited the water we saw the shark a second time, about 20 yards north of its original location, moving slowly across the surface.” Although a positive identification of the shark is not possible, White Sharks are known to frequent the area around Linda Mar Beach. It is suggested that caution be exercised while using this area for your ocean activity. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Ocean Beach — On Saturday, July 24, 2004, at 10:30 AM, Rob McArthur was about 30 yards from shore in the lineup at North Ocean Beach, San Francisco. There were about 10 or 12 other surfers in the area. Rob reported, "I observed a dorsal fin moving parallel to the beach, essentially swimming down the lineup of surfers. The fin was about 10 inches in height. I only observed the tip of the shark’s tail once. The fin would submerge below the surface for a few moments then reappear. I went ashore, along with the other surfers. While on the beach I watched the shark for about 5 minutes before leaving.” Although a positive identification of the shark is not possible, White Sharks are known to frequent the Ocean Beach area. It is suggested that caution be exercised while using this area for your ocean activity. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Morro Strand/Atascadero Beach — On Friday, July 2, 2004, at about 1:45 PM, Piper Heisig and Amy Thompson were surfing off Morro Strand at Atascadero Beach, Morro Bay. They had been surfing for about 2 hours. Piper recalled, “We were sitting upright on our boards facing the open sea, maybe 70 to 80 yards from shore, when I saw a triangular dark gray fin, about 12 inches in height, 15 to 20 yards in front of us heading in a southerly direction. It swam smoothly through the water and did not make any swift movements. We turned and headed in closer to shore where we joined up with 5 surfers that were about 30 or 40 yards from the beach. After several minutes we decided to go ashore. Once on the beach we learned that there had been a confirmed sighting of a white shark earlier in the day at our beach and one also at Morro Rock.” There have been a number of white shark interactions with surfers reported from this location over previous decades. It is suggested that caution be exercised while using this area for your ocean activity. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On Saturday, June 26, 2004, Steve Long, Captain of the San Onofre Lifeguards, reported a shark encounter with a surfer near Trail # 1. The following information was obtained during my subsequent interview with the surfer: "At about 0900 hrs, Kelly French, an experienced surfer, observed a large torpedo shaped object approaching his longboard while surfing Trail # 1 at San Onofre State Beach. The surfer recognized the silhouette as a large shark. He was about 100 yards from shore and was heading out through oncoming waves while the shark was heading in toward the beach. It paralleled the surfer for several seconds as it passed on his left at a distance of about 15 or 20 feet. After the shark passed the surfboard it turned and increased its speed as it approached the rear of the board. It struck the board with enough force to turn the surfboard 90 degrees to the left, so that French was now parallel to the beach. Within a second or two the shark struck the board a second time, as it thrashed its tail back and forth. This caused the board to spin another 90 degrees so that French was now facing the shore. During this time the shark's dorsal fin and tail were visible for several seconds allowing French to identify the species of shark and its approximate size. It was a white shark and French estimated its length as equal to, or greater than, his 9 foot 2 inch longboard. Following this second strike on the board the shark submerged as French and a nearby companion headed for the beach." This is the same area where numerous white shark sightings were reported last year. 'Shark Warning' signs have been posted at the park entrance but there are no plans to close the beach. Schools of baitfish have also been observed in the area. By definition this incident is classified as a shark attack because of the physical contact between the white shark and the surfer's board. It is suggested that caution be exercised while using this area for your ocean activity. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Ocean Beach — On Saturday, June 19, 2004, Mark at SurfPulse.com reported "a shark was sighted at Ocean Beach between Noriega and Lincoln, San Francisco. Diana Mattison, an experienced surfer, reported seeing a fin cruising the surface near the surf line at about 9 AM while she and a companion were sitting on their board's waiting for a set wave. The fin, which was approximately 8 to 12 inches out of the water and bluish-gray in color, cruised steadily above the surface before slowly submerging. The water was murky with a slight wind chop from an onshore breeze. There were numerous birds, especially pelicans, feeding in the area. It's uncertain what type of shark, i.e. whether or not it was a white shark." White sharks have been reported from this location numerous times over the years. It is suggested that caution be exercised while using this area for your ocean activity. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Morro Bay — On Sunday, June 13, 2004, Morro Bay Lifeguard Paco Aspuru reported sighting a large white shark just outside the surf line about 800 yards north of Morro Rock near Morro Creek. On Wednesday, June 16, 2004, Chief Harbor Patrol Officer Eric Endersby said that warnings had been posted since Sunday, but would be removed later today if no further sightings were reported. However, he emphasized that ocean-goers should still be alert when utilizing this area. Historically, white sharks are known to frequent the Morro Bay area. During the Twentieth Century there were three shark/human interactions reported from Mooro Bay. They occurred in 1957, 1982, and 1988. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Bodega Bay — On May 28, 2004 at about 1100 hrs, Bernard Connor, Jr. was 150 yards from shore at Salmon Creek Beach. Connor recounted his story to me during our telephone conversation. “I was waiting for a set when I heard a noise, maybe a splash, and turned to look behind me. To my surprise I saw a sharks dorsal fin protruding about one foot out of the water. The shark was 'a conservative 14 feet' in length. It was on my right side as it began to make a large circle until it was in front of my board. It then headed for me and bumped my left thigh knocking me off my board into the water. The shark began violently thrashing as it continued to circle me. When the shark circled back I smacked it in the side with the pointed end of my board. I got back on my board and started toward the beach. The shark again began thrashing violently. I sat motionless for several seconds and the shark swam away, but stayed in the area as I began paddling quickly toward shore. The shark left me and headed north toward another group of surfers. They spotted the fin approaching and all headed toward shore.” There have been four prior shark attacks at this location from 1961 to 2002. Because of the physical contact between subject and shark this case is classified as a shark attack. Signs were posted on the beach informing visitors of the incident and they are being advised to enter the water at their own risk. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Malibu Beach — On May 20, 2004 surfer David Morenfeld reported; "while surfing the 'Kiddy Bowl' at Malibu with several other surfers, I saw a shark fin that looked like it belonged to an 8 footer. It surfaced approximately 15 yards past the surfline but I could not tell what type of shark. It was very scary, yet no one got out. I know the shark was seen by at least 4 of us. I am very familiar with dolphins and this was not a dolphin. It was a shark." Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On May 19, 2004, at 0700 hrs off San Onofre State Beach Trail # 4, Mike Brennan reported; “I was sitting on my surfboard waiting for a wave. It was overcast and slightly windy. I had been surfing for about 40 minutes when I noticed a dorsal fin approaching me. It would estimate a distance of about 3 feet between the dorsal fin and tail with the shark’s color darkish grey. I put my feet up on my board as the shark slowly turned and descended, reminiscent of a submarine. I sat there for several minutes and noticed the shark return to the surface and swim out toward the open sea.” This is the same location where juvenile and adult white sharks were reported from April thru November 2003. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Will Rogers State Beach — On May 19, 2004 several sport fishermen reported seeing as many as 4 juvenile white sharks, 4 to 6 feet in length, just outside of the surf zone around 1200 hrs. The sharks were swimming throughout the area but did not appear to be feeding. This is the same location where juvenile white sharks are annually observed between March and September. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Capitola — On May 17, 2004 surfers and swimmers were warned of the possible presence of Great White Sharks due to a juvenile Gray Whale carcass that had become tangled in a kelp bed about 100 yards from the beach. Boaters witnessed several Orcas kill the young whale last week about four miles off of Moss Landing. Capitola lifeguards were concerned that Great White Sharks might be attracted to the area. Lifeguard Eric Mitchell said they were hoping the dead whale would drift out to sea. In the meantime all who use this area for sport should exercise caution and be alert to the potential danger. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre White Sharks — On May 13, 2004 Dave Schulte reported, "I was surfing 'Old Mans' at San Onofre beach around 3:00 PM with two other guys. The water was about 68 degrees and clear. We were about 50 yards from shore in 5 to 7 feet of water when we saw a small 5 foot juvenile white shark. I saw it flip the back half of its body out of the water as it made a very fast 45 degree turn. It was half way out of the water, from the dorsal fin to the tail. It did a quick bunch of side to side whips of its tail to get back down. I stayed out about an hour and surfed over the area where I had seen the shark. There were a lot of small pale colored fish that were larger than anchovies. They were in small groups, about 3 feet in diameter, in water 2 to 5 feet deep. They looked like they might be grunion. I did not see the shark again during the remainder of the day." Last year both juvenile and adult white sharks were observed at this location. Although small, these sharks should be considered potentially dangerous and treated with a healthy measure of caution. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Will Rogers State Beach — On May 6, 2004, during the 4 PM newscast, KABC Channel 7 reported they had videotaped a single shark off Will Rogers State Beach at about 1330 hrs. Video showed a juvenile White Shark, 4 to 5 feet in length, about 50 meters from shore with a circular white spot on the right pectoral fin. This is the same shark that was observed in this area April 23, 2004. Lifeguards did not close the beach today. The Grunion spawn should continue for several more days. It is not uncommon for these small sharks to abandon the inshore waters following the spawn. However, they will probably return to this location in about 14 days when the Grunion spawn again..Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Newport Beach Pier — On May 6, 2004 at “Dorymans” on the north side of the Newport Beach Pier, Tony Banzuelo reported; “I had been surfing for about 30 minutes, when I noticed the Newport Beach Harbor Patrol boat approach surfers approximately 80 yards north of me. As I paddled towards the patrol boat, the boat pulled away before I could hear what was said, so I turned around and headed back to my spot next to the pier. As I was approaching the pier, I looked over my right shoulder to keep surveillance on any oncoming set waves. I saw some set waves approaching, so I spun around and headed toward them. That is when I saw the silhouette of a black colored shark, 6'-8' long, approximately 30' yards ahead of me. It had a large single dorsal fin and that's all I needed to see! I spun around, caught a wave, and rode it to the beach. I looked up the beach to see that many of the other surfers had exited the water. I did not make contact with any of the other surfers.” Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Will Rogers State Beach — On May 5, 2004 KNBC Channel 4 reported a single shark was observed about 1430 hrs off Will Rogers State Beach in Pacific Palisades. Although video was not shown, the shark was probably one of the juvenile White Sharks that have been reported from this location over the prior two weeks. These sightings will continue throughout the summer and early Fall. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Will Rogers State Beach — On May 3, 2004, around 1230 hrs, lifeguards and swimmers reported as many as six sharks 20 to 50 meters from the shore at Will Rogers State Beach in Pacific Palisades. Video taken by the KNBC Channel 4 helicopter confirmed at least one of the sharks was a juvenile White Shark 4 to 5 feet in length. Lifeguards posted “Red Flags” indicating that swimming would be curtailed at the beach until later in the evening or the following morning. This is the same location where a number of juvenile White Sharks were observed just 10 days ago. These frequent observations of juvenile White Sharks along Southern California beaches will continue until late August or early September. The next Grunion spawn should occur May 6 – 9. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Will Rogers State Beach — On April 23, 2004, around 1130 hrs, as many as three sharks were reported, 50 to 100 meters from shore, at Will Rogers State Beach in Pacific Palisades. Officials reported the sharks were either Tiger, Leopard and/or possibly White Sharks. Several Los Angeles TV stations broadcast video during their evening newscasts which showed a juvenile White Shark, 4 to 5 feet in length, with a circular white spot on its right pectoral fin.. This is the same location where a number of juvenile White Sharks were sighted in July, August and September 2003. These sightings of juvenile White Sharks in Southern California coincide with Grunion (Leuresthes tenuis) spawns. Grunion spawns normally occur from Point Conception, California, to Point Abreojos, Baja California. The Grunion inhabit the nearshore waters from the surf to a depth of about 60 feet. Tagging studies indicate that they are nonmigratory and will return to the same beach to spawn over and over during their lifetime. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Pacific Palisades — On April 22, 2004, at 1330 hrs, Scott Breslin reported, "a live braodcast from the KCAL Channel 9 news helicopter showed a White Shark leisurely swimming in a northerly direction, parallel to the shore, about 50 meters from the beach. The animal was observed for about 10 minutes before diving into deeper water and out of sight. The shark was estimated at 3 meters by the helicopter pilot." This was the location of several White Shark observations last summer. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
Sunset Cliffs Sighting — On April 21, 2004 two female surfers at Sunset Cliffs, near Ladera Street across from Point Loma Nazarene University, reported sighting a large shark, about 10 feet in length. One of the surfers stated that the shark swam by very close to their boards allowing for an estimate of its length. After the shark had passed they exited the water and notified lifeguards of their encounter. Officials reported a mutilated pinniped had washed up on the beach just south of this location on April 20, 2004. Although white sharks are known to frequent this area a positive identification of the species was not determined. Please report any shark encounters or sightings to the Shark Research Committee.
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