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Pacific Coast Shark News 2015The following reports for 2015 are 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 click here, for 2008 click here, for 2009 news click here, for 2010 news click here, for 2011 news click here, for 2012 news click here for 2013 click here and for 2014 click here.
Montana de Oro State Beach — On December 31, 2015 Bradley Wilkinson was kayak fishing 3/4 of a mile from shore at Montana De Oro State Beach/Park in San Luis Obispo County. It was 8:00 AM and he had been on the water about 20 minutes. The sky was clear with a mild offshore breeze and an estimated air temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit. There were 4 � 6 foot swells over a rocky ocean bottom 75 feet deep with about 20 feet of visibility and an estimated water temperature of 56 degrees Fahrenheit. A large kelp canopy was off the point about 300 feet from his location. An undetermined number of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) were feeding about 1 mile from his location. Wilkinson reported the following;�It was the last day of the year and the Rock Cod, family �Scorpaenidae,' season was coming to an end. Mike, my fishing buddy, and I wanted to get one more trip in. We met at �Spooners Cove' at Montana De Oro State Park to check out the conditions. I had my kayak with me but Mike had to go get his back in Los Osos. So I launched solo, planning to meet up at our usual spot. I paddled out and South outside the large kelp bed and started fishing. I hooked up right away. I caught 3 short (undersized) Ling Cod then caught a keeper, which I put it in the kayak. I then hooked a larger fish but lost it halfway to the kayak. I reeled up to check my lure and that's when my kayak was struck from the stern, causing a large splash. I didn't see the initial hit. I grabbed my paddle and looked back to see what had hit me and saw the White Shark's dorsal fin out of the water and the tail fin exposed. It was charging the starboard side of my kayak. I had my paddle in my right hand and hit the shark below the dorsal fin and yelled. It then swam out front and very rapidly turned back at me, coming down the port side. I had my fishing rod in my left hand and slapped the water next to it, yelling again. I placed the rod in the holder and started paddling like crazy for the cove. I never looked back. The White Shark was at least as long as my 14 foot 9 inch kayak. I would estimate 7 feet from the dorsal fin to the tail. The dorsal fin had damage to the trailing edge and parasites clinging on. I had a good look, I am 61 years old have been fishing since I can remember, this was the real deal! And the authorities were notified." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On December 5, 2015 Ann Marie Moneymaker reported the following;�I had come in from surfing at Trails in the San Onofre State Beach. The weather was sunny and breezy with the ocean water temperature about 65 degrees Fahrenheit and the air temperature about 73 degrees Fahrenheit. There was a strong west current and large swell. I had a hard time paddling out and was pushed down the beach by the current and wind. I had intended to come in and walk up the beach to paddle back out closer to the trail head when I came upon a dead sea lion that had washed up on the rocks. The large bite marks stopped me in my tracks and I decided not to paddle back out.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Avila Beach — On November 22, 2015 Joseph Fitzer and an unidentified companion, were fishing for Lingcod and Rockcod approximately one mile South of Diablo Canyon Power Plant near Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County. It was 11:00 AM and they had been on the water for 6 hours. Air and surface water temperatures were recorded at 75 and 59.6 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The sky was clear without a noticeable wind. The ocean was calm with 4 � 5 foot swells over a rocky bottom 120 feet deep. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Fitzer reported;�I was standing toward the front of the boat and noticed a tail fin swim by the outboard motor approximately 2 feet under the boat. The shark swam 5 feet away from the back of the boat and circled back 2 � 3 feet under the water. It swam past the right corner of the boat then it disappeared. I was standing and my fishing partner was sitting by the motor. After the shark was out of view we moved location and did not see it again it seemed to be headed north. The White Shark was 8 � 10 feet in length with no visible scars or markings, dark grey on top and white on bottom.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Eureka — On October 30, 2015 Michael (last name withheld by request) was surfing 50 � 80 feet from shore at Samoa Beach near Eureka. It was 1:30 PM and he had been on the water 45 � 60 minutes. There was a dense fog with a mild 5 knot breeze and an estimated air temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The swell was about 6 feet at 15 seconds with somewhat glassy waves over a sandy ocean bottom 8 feet deep with an estimated water temperature in the upper 50s Fahrenheit. He observed a small fish jump when he first entered the water. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Michael reported;�I had caught my third or so wave after about 15 minutes of being on the water and decided to go in and walk around to where it was easier to paddle back out. I saw the shark breach about 2 minutes after paddling back out and being almost back to the same peak we were surfing. The other 3 surfers were already on the beach after one of them had seen the dorsal fin near him. I believe it was a juvenile Great White Shark, 6 � 8 feet in length. The strange thing is I witnessed it breach the water landing back into the water upside down. The bottom of the shark was pearly white and the two side fins were extended out to the side. The shark was not observed following the breach.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Long Beach — On October 24, 2015 Kobe Sallstrom was Stand-Up-Paddleboarding with two unidentified companions near the entrance to Long Beach Harbor. It was 5:00 PM and they had been on the water about 65 minutes. It was about one hour before sunset with an overcast sky and an estimated air temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. There were 1 foot wind waves over a bottom about 60 feet deep with an estimated water temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Several Harbor Seals were observed on the rocks near the harbor entrance. Sallstrom recalled;�I was paddling with 2 other people and we decided to regroup at Queens Gate at the Long Beach Harbor entrance. I was a couple minutes ahead of the group so I was sitting up on my board with my feet in the water for a while. While sitting on my board I began to think that I should probably keep my feet out of the water as it's been �kind'a sharkey' lately. Literally, a couple of seconds after I laid down on my board with my feet up, a Hammerhead Shark, 7 � 8 feet in length, came rushing up and nearly hit my board right where my foot had been. It made a big splash and then took off. I did not see it again.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ventura — On September 30, 2015 Deena Pace and Amy Kinneman were surfing at Solimar Beach in Ventura. It was 5:15 PM and they were 30 � 40 yards from shore just beyond the surf break. The sky was clear with very little wind and an estimated air temperature of 79 � 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm and 10 � 15 feet deep with 2 � 3 feet of visibility and an estimated temperature in the low 70s Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area prior to the encounter, although a small pod of Dolphins were observed some time later. Pace reported;�We were sitting on our boards parallel to the shore and I was looking south at Amy and she was also parallel to the beach looking north at me. Suddenly a shark breached completely out of the water. She heard the sound of the shark hitting the water and said, �What was that?' It took me several minutes to finally explain a shark had breached about 20 yards behind her, just beyond the surf break. At that point she suggested we paddle in to the beach. When we arrived on shore I looked it up several kinds of sharks on my phone to confirm what I saw. It was definitely a Great White Shark with a dark grey/black back and a white belly and I would say it was maybe 12 feet long.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Goleta Beach — On September 26, 2015 Jon Menzies, Santa Barbara County Aquatics Coordinator reported;�We had another white shark incident at Goleta Beach this morning at 1000 hours. Busy out here. The last few weeks here have been a shark eating its normal prey about one mile out. Today's sighting was half that distance and it seemed to show a bit more interest in the fishermen so we are posting signs of 72 hours notice.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Anacapa Island — On September 26, 2015 Franco Campana and an undetermined number of companions were returning to Ventura Harbor after a diving and fishing trip to Anacapa Island off Santa Barbara. It was 1:00 PM and they had been on the water for more than 5 hours. The sky was overcast with an estimated air temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with excellent water visibility and an estimated temperature of 73 degrees Fahrenheit. They were 3 miles North of the island in 800 feet of water. Campana reported;�We observed the shark as it swam very close to our boat, slowly and with confidence. Most sharks I have seen are very shy and stay away from the boat. This one had no fear. The Great White Shark was 15 feet in length. I stopped the boat to try and film the shark, which swam about 1 or 2 feet directly under the boat. As it slowly swam beneath us I could see its eye as it appeared to look at me. I retrieved my camera but the shark departed and did not return.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Goleta Beach — On September 25, 2015 Peter Howorth, Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center, reported the following;�A shark, believed to be a great white, was seen off Goleta Beach by two fishermen in an inflatable boat early Friday morning. From the size of the dorsal fin and distance between the dorsal and tail fin, it was estimated at least 12 feet long. The shark approached the boat from about 50 feet away, then disappeared, only to reappear again. It was seen between three-quarters of a mile and a mile offshore, past the end of the Goleta Pier. One angler, who is a very reliable source but chose to remain anonymous, had gone out with a friend in his boat to fish for yellowtail. They had already caught one and had it dangling over the side. They were using live mackerel for bait. Persons in another boat farther away also saw the shark. Another unnamed source said that the shark had been thrashing around on the surface a short distance behind some kayakers before it disappeared. Since the shark was well offshore, no warning signs were posted for swimmers.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Santa Barbara — On September 24, 2015 (Preliminary Report) Darren Kenney was paddling his kayak about 0.75 miles from shore near Carpinteria, located in southeastern Santa Barbara County. It was about 10:45 AM and he had just reached Horseshoe Rock located at Horseshoe Reef. He did not have any bait nor fish in the water, although large schools of Spanish Mackerel and many sea birds were present in the area. The water was a measured 60 feet deep with more than 40 feet of visibility. Kenney reported;�It had taken me 30 minutes to paddle from some offshore kelp beds to the area of the reef. I did not see any marine mammals in the area. Without warning my kayak was struck below, about 3/4 of its length from the bow. I was jettisoned from the kayak into the water. I saw the white shark, from its gills to the tail, a length of about 14 feet. Its girth was massive. The bite to the bottom of my kayak is about 16 inches in diameter.� Additional information will be posted when it becomes available. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Bolinas Beach — On September 12, 2015 Jenn Biestman was surfing 150 yards from shore at Bolinas Beach 13 miles Northwest of San Francisco in Marin County. It was about 1:00PM under a cloudy sky with a brisk breeze. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 66 and 61 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. There were many pinnipeds observed in the water past the surf break, as well as very close to the beach. Biestman reported;�While surfing about 50 yards away from the incident, I saw a seal hurled into the air. After it landed, the seal was halfway out of the water, struggling and splashing. Among the splashing, it was difficult to see exactly what was attacking the seal. Three other surfers saw the commotion and 1 surfer said he saw a fin. We all paddled back to the beach. After I got to the beach, I observed dozens of birds around the scene for at least 30 minutes.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Malibu — On September 6, 2015 Caterina Gennaro was Stand-Up-Paddleboarding about ¼ mile from shore at El Pescador State Beach near Malibu. It was about 5:30 PM and she had been on the water about 5 minutes. The sky was sunny with a slight wind and an estimated air temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with small white caps from the breeze and there was a rip current near the shore break. Water was about 60 feet deep with 20 � 25 feet of visibility and an estimated temperature of 60 � 65 degrees Fahrenheit. There were no marine mammals in the area, although she had observed a dead pinniped on the rocks at the same beach 4 days prior with a large wound in the hindquarters. Gennaro reported;�Once out into calmer water and somewhat flat, I suddenly was knocked off my board. It was fast, just a bump, so didn't think much of it. I got back on not understanding how that would happen because I never fall off. I got back on my board and about 5 minutes later I saw a shadow about 10 feet away. It was deep then it came up close to my board. I knew it was a Great White Shark, 11 � 12 feet in length and very clean with no scars. Then it disappeared. Within moments I saw it swimming towards me, as it turned and went under my board, which made it unstable. I immediately found clumps of seaweed in water and put it on front and back of my board to make it more stable and also let if hang down so the board looked like floating seagrass. The shark kept coming back, circling, not aggressively. The current was taking me south and in shore but towards a very rocky area. I needed to stay in line with the beach so I used long, slow powerful strokes, so as not to make any splashes. The shark seemed to follow my paddle, which was strange. I would put the paddle in front of its snout, but not in an aggressive gesture, just to stop or deflect it from hitting my board. It would veer away for a minute or two then return. The paddle seemed to keep it at bay. The wind got stronger and waves bigger during that hour. I found some sea grass/kelp on the surface so I tied off so as not to drift and to keep sight of the shark. The shark returned and went under my board and broke the seagrass/kelp I was tied to. The last half hour or so the shark kept approaching from the back of my board no matter how I moved, so I turned to face backwards on the board. Every time the shark passed beneath my board it would become unstable and rock from side to side. I lengthened my paddle as far as it could go and out it in front of its snout as it approached. It then turned on its side just slightly under the water, its pectoral fin slightly out of water but did not touch my board. The shark looked right at me then submerged. I was able to see claspers when it turned so I know it was a male. He swan in front of me and submerged so I thought it was my chance to line up to the beach and paddle ashore. The beach was small and I had to line up perfectly to get in. Then the shark appeared again from behind me, I kept looking in all directions trying not to take my eyes off the shark. Fighting waves and the wind was the hardest part. My daughter and friends were onshore gesturing to me to come in. They thought I was just having fun out there. Then, unexpectedly, a large wave came from behind me. I turned my board into it, got on my knees with the paddle and headed toward shore. Suddenly I felt my board being struck from below and I went flying up in the air. It seemed like 6 feet and before I knew it the board was ripped from my hand, my paddle was gone and I was under water. As I surfaced, I immediately looked for the shark. I continued with my back to shore to watch for the shark, and making sure I was in line with the beach or I would smash into the rocks. I swam, very calmly taking each wave by going under and letting the waves take me in. My friend Dan Metcalfe realized what was going on when he saw me get hit. As I came ashore I collapsed, my legs were shaking so much, and I cried, not believing what had happened over the past hour. I just held my daughter and hoped that she didn't see much. My board floated away and I saw a fin following it as it drifted South and onto the rocks. Dan recovered the board on the rocks and my paddle washed up on shore.� By definition this is an unprovoked shark attack � "Any physical contact between a shark and a human, or a piece of equipment being used in an ocean activity by the human, without provocation, constitutes an unprovoked shark attack."Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Morro Bay — On August 29, 2015 Daniel Phillips was surfing with Roston Johnson about 150 yards from shore at Morro Rock in Morro Bay. It was about 10:00 AM and they had been in the water about 1 hour 15 minutes. The sky was clear with the air temperature 75 � 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The sea was calm over a sandy ocean bottom 15 � 20 feet deep with 20 � 30 of visibility and an estimated temperature of 62 degrees Fahrenheit. There was a large variety of fishes that were being fed upon by Sea Gulls, Pelicans, Cormorants, and Peregrine Falcons. Marine mammals observed were 3 Harbor Seals, 2 Sea Lions, and 1 Sea Otter. Both surfers noticed that all of the marine mammals left the area 10 � 15 minutes prior to the attack. They also observed an injured Cormorant earlier in their session that they were unable to locate 5 � 10 minutes before the attack. Phillips recalled;�I was 30 feet outside the line up sitting on top of a sand bar where occasionally big waves would break every 15 or so minutes. I was the furthest out with the nearest surfer approximately 20 feet towards the beach from my position. He and about 9 other surfers observed the shark during my encounter. I feel that it is necessary to note that my hand was bleeding from a minor injury. I did not see the shark before it struck me the first time on the right-hand side of my board at an upward angle and at a speed of 15 � 20 MPH. It moved me 90 degrees to the left and I saw its entire body, including the black eyes, massive dorsal fin, and finally the entire mass of its body. The second time it struck my leg at the top of my calf near my knee cap at a speed of 15 � 20 MPH after turning around and swimming to a distance adequate to build up its speed to knock me from my board. However the second time the shark rolled its eyes but did not open its mouth when it hit me on the left side. It folded my leg under the board and moved me another 90 degrees to the left as it passed beneath me hitting my leg with its fins. It was at this point that I popped up on my knees and began to paddle for shore, as the shark had repositioned me so that I was facing directly towards the beach. I looked back and saw the shark swim around in an arching pattern as it followed another surfer with a red long board that had also began to head toward shore. The shark turned and swam under another surfer with a blue long board that was also paddling in to the beach. As the shark passed the second surfer the shark turned toward me a third time and increased its speed to 20 � 25 MPH. This time not only did it roll its eyes but it opened its mouth as it headed towards me. Luckily it passed beneath me and I just barely made it passed the shark before it broke the surface of the water behind me. I just continued to paddle until I was paddling into the sand. Several surfers, including Roston asked if I was OK when we had all reached the safety of the beach. I was a little traumatized but thankfully no permanent injury.� The White Shark was described by several surfers, including Phillips, as 10 � 12 feet in length with a width of 3 � 4 feet, gray on top and white on the bottom. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Newport Beach — On August 28, 2015 Mike Pearson and his son and daughter were surfing at Blackies, a stretch of beach located between the 28th Street jetty and the Newport Pier in Newport Beach. It was 7:15 AM and they had been in the water about 5 minutes. The sky was clear with an estimated air temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was glassy calm with 1 � 2 foot waves over a sandy bottom 4 � 5 feet deep with visibility greater than the depth and an estimated water temperature of 66 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Pearson recounted;�I took my kids for an early morning surf session at Blackies, just North of the pier. I had my daughter age 5 and my son 8 on boards and I was walking out so I could push them into waves and help them maneuver. There were about 8 other surfers in the lineup and I was standing in chest deep water. As soon as I walked out I pushed my daughter into a wave and she rode it all the way in to the shore. I turned around to help my son with the next wave and that is when I saw a fin. I have surfed for many years and have seen tons of dolphins - the first words out of my mouth were, �Hey - look at that dol..., that isn't a dolphin'. Several of the other surfers saw the same thing and we all confirmed with each other that it was in fact a shark. I pushed my son into a wave and then decided it would be best to walk back in and call it a day. Our surf session lasted all of 5 minutes. The shark was about 30 yards from me so I would guess it was 50 � 60 yards from shore. I was not in the lineup so it was about 10 � 15 yards past the surf lineup heading South towards the pier.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Oceanside — On August 26, 2015 Mark Ball was scuba diving/spearfishing about 1 mile from shore at the Barn Kelp reef area off Camp Pendleton near Oceanside. It was 11:00AM and he had been in the water about 10 minutes and had not speared a fish. He was wearing a full black wetsuit with green scuba tanks and a chrome speargun. The sky was clear with an estimated air temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit and no wind. The ocean was calm with a 1 foot swell over a rocky reef with scattered sandy patches and reduced height Giant Bull Kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera . The water depth was 50 feet with 40 � 50 feet of visibility and an estimated temperature of 74 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Ball reported;�I was swimming slowly about 15 feet off the bottom, looking for halibut. I looked up and saw a shark approaching me directly at the same depth. It swam to within 5 feet of me and then angled straight up towards surface for 10 feet, and then it leveled off and swam out of sight. It was a male White Shark about 8 feet in length and very healthy in appearance. There were no scars or other distinguishing marks. The shark was deliberate but not aggressive. Its movements were very smooth and consistent, never speeding up or slowing down.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Goleta Beach — On August 22, 2015 Peter C. Howorth, Director, Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center, reported the following;�Jon Menzies, Santa Barbara County Parks Department, confirmed that a reliable fisherman observed a large shark off Goleta Beach at about 12:30 PM. The shark was also observed by locals on the Goleta Pier. It was estimated to be 17 feet in length. The shark was seen coming from the West and headed towards the East when it disappeared from view. It was believed to be a Great White Shark based on the description from witnesses. Warning signs will be posted for the next 72 hours, per the Santa Barbara County Parks protocol.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Santa Barbara — On August 18, 2015 Connor Lyon was kayak fishing 500 yards from shore at San Augustine, Hollister Ranch near Santa Barbara. It was 7:20 AM and he had been on the water 1 hour 45 minutes. It was overcast, foggy, and humid with an estimated air temperature near 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with a light southerly breeze and a depth of 30 � 60 feet. The bottom was primarily a reef with scattered kelp plants and visibility of 5 � 15 feet. Water temperature was estimated in the upper 60s Fahrenheit. Large kelps were present 250 yards inside the reef. Between 15 and 25 Sea Lions were observed in the area diving and breaching repeatedly. Lyon reported;�I was sitting in the kayak, getting ready to drop a line in the water, when I was surprised by a massive impact from straight beneath the front end. The water became turbulent with splashing and thrashing from the body and tail of the shark, which had a dark grey/black back and a bright white bottom. It began to lift its head out of the water with the kayak locked in its mouth, rolling the kayak onto its side and spilling the lower half of my body into the water. After about 8 seconds from the initial impact, the shark released the kayak from its mouth, at which point the kayak rolled completely upside down. As soon as the kayak was released I climbed up onto the hull of the kayak and began shouting for help. A nearby fishing boat came and picked me up in about 15 seconds. After relaxing on the boat for about 20 minutes, the captain towed me and my two friends back to the kelp beds where we started the paddle in to the beach. About 200 yards from the shore the kayak became quite full of water from the bite marks so I climbed aboard my friends kayak and towed the my kayak the rest of the way in.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ocean Beach — On August 14, 2015 Robert Brooks was surfing Kelly's Cove at Ocean Beach, San Francisco. It was about 2:30 PM and he had been on the water about 30 minutes. The sky was clear with an estimated air temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was choppy from a brisk breeze with 2 � 3 foot waves over a sandy bottom 6 � 8 feet deep and a estimated water temperature between 65 � 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Brooks reported;�I was in the water for about a half hour when I saw a Great White Shark, 10 � 12 feet in length, swimming about 30 feet from me. It was cruising towards the South end of the beach. I did not observe any marine mammals in the area and there were two other surfers farther North of me. I noticed they were out of the water when I saw the shark. I calmly belly rode waves back to shore. I talked to the two other surfers about what I saw. They told me they didn't see a shark but they did see two sea lions in the area. This is the second shark sighting I have encountered in the past three weeks. The first sighting was at Montara State Beach.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Mission Beach — On August 13, 2015 Andy Albrecht was surfing near the South jetty at Mission Beach in San Diego. It was 4:00 PM and he had been on the water about 15 minutes. The sky was clear with a mild onshore breeze and an estimated air temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The surf was knee to waist high over a sandy ocean bottom 5 feet deep with about 10 feet of visibility and an estimated water temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The surf zone was cloudy with churned sand and a late evening glare on the water. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Albrecht reported;�I was waiting for a wave when a triangular gray fin, 10 � 12 inches high, emerged about 15 feet in front of me. I was definitely not a mammal dorsal fin. It wasn't moving with any urgency and remained visible for a few seconds before it went back down. I immediately paddled in and moved 100 yards up the beach where the lineup was more crowded. I surfed for another hour and didn't notice anything else out of the ordinary. Later that evening I mentioned what I'd seen to a friend, who was in the water a couple hundred yards north of me, and he confirmed that he also saw an unusual fin while he was out. Layman's opinion is that it was a juvenile White Shark feeding on an abundance of rays and baitfish that were close to shore.� Pleases report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Santa Barbara — On August 11, 2015 Peter C. Howorth, Director, Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center, reported the following incidents for Santa Barbara County; 13 March 2015 Surf Beach, Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) Sighting Surf Beach closed for 72 hours because of white shark sighting. Second week of March Brown's Beach, near Pt. Sal, VAFB California sea lion Fresh adult female California sea lion washed up dead with large white shark bite on right chest and front flipper. 19 March N. Shuman Beach (S. Minuteman Beach) VAFB Sea otter Adult male sea otter came ashore and died from white shark wounds. Five-year-old otter, 53½ pounds. 3 April Isla Vista, Goleta California sea lion �Small� shark seen feeding on young California sea lion 100-200 yards off Isla Vista. 6 April North Surf Beach, VAFB Sea otter Sea otter found dead on beach with probable white shark bites. No other details. 21 May North Surf Beach, VAFB Sea otter Another sea otter found dead on beach with probable white shark bites. No other details. 22 May San Antonio Creek Mouth, VAFB Sea otter Another sea otter found dead on beach with probable white shark bites. San Antonio Creek is between Purisima Pt. and Minuteman Beach, N. VAFB. 23 May Jalama Beach Park California sea lion Subadult male California sea lion rescued south of Jalama Beach Park with large bite on left side; deep incisions under front flipper. Ultimately died. 26 May VAFB Sea otters �At least� five sea otters killed off VAFB, according to environmental resources office, VAFB. 13 June Guadalupe Dunes Sighting Small shark seen off Guadalupe Dunes �in lineup� by several surfers. Reported by park ranger. 16 July Miramar Beach, Santa Barbara Encounter Surfer S. G., paddling near mouth of Miramar Creek, saw 8-foot white shark ahead of him. Shark swam away when approached. 4 August Jalama Beach Park Sighting Large shark seen by lifeguards thrashing around for 19 minutes, 40 yards offshore, estimated 15 feet depth. No gulls or blood, but extremely windy. Probable attack on a pinniped. 5 August 0.4 mile southeast Goleta Point (Campus Point) Encounter Divers reportedly saw the tail and dorsal of a shark �the size of a VW bus� disappearing into the murky water.
Gaviota State Beach — On August 8, 2015 Daniel Pooler was kayak fishing for halibut just South of Gaviota State Beach in Santa Barbara. It was 5:30 PM and he had been on the water about 3 hours fishing in 200+ feet. He moved closer to shore and was about 100 yards off the beach in 30 feet of water just behind the kelp line. He had taken 6 large rockfish in the deeper water and had them on the back deck of his kayak. It is possible that a few of the fish tails may have been dragging in the water for about an hour. His fish finder recorded a water temperature of 66.3 degrees Fahrenheit with an estimated air temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. There was a mild chop with 2 � 3 feet of visibility in that location. The bottom was primarily sand with some exposed rocks as there is a reef in that location which could be seen on his sounder. Pooler reported;�I was �bounce balling' for halibut at a continuous speed of 2 miles per hour when I was approached by a White Shark from behind. The shark was never aggressive nor did it touch my kayak as it followed and �checked' me out for approximately 20 seconds. I was startled and increased my speed, heading directly towards the beach. It came out of nowhere and disappeared and I never saw it again. I thought that I would share this info to let people know that they are around the Gaviota area since this has been my second encounter there in two years in this area. I identified the shark by its triangular dorsal fin that was grey in color with a mild shade of black towards the back of the fin. It's height out of the water was ~ 16 inches. I did not see the complete length of the shark since it was behind and following me but with the displacement of water I observed I can only estimate around 10 feet in length. Coincidentally there were no sea lions that usually congregate at the lower steps of the closed Gaviota pier that day. I always make an effort to visit them on my paddle out from the beach. The fact that they were absent this day was one of the things that came to mind after the encounter.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Half Moon Bay — On August 8, 2015 Deanna Thompson was at Poplar Beach in Half Moon Bay. She was sitting on the beach with her daughter about 30 feet from the water's edge. It was 1:00 PM under a cloudy sky with �choppy' sea conditions an estimated air temperature of 64 degrees Fahrenheit. An undetermined number of sea birds were sitting on the water and diving from time to time. Thompson reported;�While sitting with my daughter I witnessed a Great White Shark breach. The shark was an about 200 yards offshore and appeared to be 8 � 10 feet in length. I thought it was after a bird that was floating in the water. When the shark breached it struck the bird from below driving it into the air and it flew off. I saw everything but the tip of the shark's tail when it came out of the water. It was gray with a white underbelly and pointy face and fins. I've watched Shark Week since it began and there is no question in my mind it was a Great White Shark.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Marina Del Rey/Catalina Island — Kirk Aguer reported the following multiple encounters:�I wanted to share 5 encounters, all 4 � 6 foot juvenile Hammerhead Sharks (Sphyrnidae) I have witnessed over the past two weeks. — 7/29/15 we were just about to start a sailboat race on a 36' j109 just outside of the Marina Del Rey break wall by the 'S mark' around 5pm. I saw a small 4.5 foot Hammerhead Shark swim up to our boat then immediately swim away. — 8/7/15 while sailing across the channel on a 46' J46 our way to Howland's Landing from Marina Del Rey we spotted three Hammerhead Sharks about one third to half way across the channel off the Palos Verdes Peninsula. All three were cruising on the surface and around 5 feet in length. You could see their distinct wide shaped head. — 8/8/2015 At 5am while kayak fishing Eagle Reef 1/2 mile offshore from Howland's Landing on Catalina Island. I spotted a dorsal and tail fin that broke the surface approximately 10 feet from me. It was close to the red buoy that marks the reef. It made a few sudden turns and then dove down into the deep. It was the largest of the 5 sharks and would estimate it to be 6 feet in length also with the distinct wide head. I've fished, surfed and sailed in Southern California (Catalina and Santa Monica Bay area) for the past 12 years and have never seen a Hammerhead Shark before."Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
UPDATE � San Onofre State Beach — August 6, 2015 �My name is Patrick Servedio and I wanted to report the White Shark sighting I had August 6, 2015. I read the quote from James O'Roark who was in the water but did not see the shark. I saw the shark and there is no doubt it was a White Shark. I hadn't been in the water long maybe 30 minutes. It was probably around 9:00 AM as we headed down the trail to surf around 8:00 AM. I was sitting on my board and looking West � Southwest when directly in front of my line of sight a White Shark breached completely out of the water. I estimate the shark to have been around 7 or 8 feet in length. It breached about 100 � 150 feet from my position. It was completely vertical with its entire underside facing me. Several people witnessed it and we all were pretty shocked. I went in the next wave I could catch along with most of the guys that witnessed it.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On August 6, 2015 James O'Roark was surfing 75 yards from shore at the South end of the lineup at Upper Trestles, San Onofre State Beach. It was 9:15 AM and he had been on the water 45 minutes. There were a few high scattered clouds and a very light breeze with an estimated air temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was glassy calm and 6 � 8 feet deep over a cobblestone reef with waist to shoulder high waves and an estimated water temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. O'Roark reported; �I was sitting on my board at the South end of the lineup at Upper Trestles. There were about 25 surfers in the lineup. As a medium sized set of waves rolled towards me I heard a splash and exclamations coming from the other surfers further out in the middle of the lineup. I saw a large ring of foam about 20 yards beyond the farthest surfer in the lineup. Several of the guys said a shark had breached and that it was a Great White Shark. The surfers in the lineup bunched up a bit after that but no one went in. The shark did not make another appearance. There was no sign of the shark prior to the breach.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Santa Cruz — On August 5, 2015 Chris Bayer was fishing for rock cod 0.5 miles from shore, outside of the kelp bed off West Cliff Drive, at Lighthouse Point near Santa Cruz. It was 7:45 AM and he had been on the water about 10 minutes. The sky was clear with a very mild breeze and an estimated air temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was flat calm and 40 � 45 feet deep over a rocky bottom with 15 feet of visibility and an estimated water temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Bayer reported;�I was running out to go rock fishing off natural bridges when I noticed a disturbance on water surface about 40 feet off my port side. I saw a large shark, 12 � 14 feet in length with a white belly and a gray back, breech all the way out of the water. My boat is 17 feet long and the shark was better than 2/3rds of my boat's size. The shark hit the water and never surfaced again. I'm out on the ocean almost every day and I'm sure it was a shark.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Jalama Beach — On August 4, 2015 Jon Menzies, Aquatics Coordinator, County of Santa Barbara, reported the following; �From 10:50 am to 11:09 am Jalama Beach County Lifeguards witnessed what appeared to be a large shark thrashing from side to side in front of the Jalama Store about 40 yards offshore in around 15 feet of water. Jalama Beach is North of Pt. Conception and South of Pt. Arguello in Santa Barbara County. The dark grey dorsal fin was estimated at approximately 9 to 12 inches in height. The tail fin was also visible to lifeguards. At this time, we are advising beachgoers of what was seen by placing warning signs at Jalama Beach for the next 72 hours, as per County Parks protocol. These informational signs will be lifted on Friday 8/7/15 around 10:00am if there are no additional sightings. The warnings are intended to aid the public in making an informed decision about entering the water.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Montara State Beach — On August 1, 2015 Christine Lewis and her boyfriend were surfing at Montara State Beach located 8 miles North of Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County. It was 4:45 PM and they had been on the water about 50 minutes. The sky was clear with an estimated air temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with small waves over a sandbar 10 � 15 feet deep and an estimated temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Water visibility was about 10 feet. A school of small fishes swam through the area 15 minutes prior to the encounter. There were an undetermined number of stray kelps floating in the water. Lewis reported; �My boyfriend and I were sitting on our boards waiting for waves. I noticed a fin near us. I only saw the dorsal fin which was triangular with straight sides. It was about a 1.5 feet high and one of the sides had a jagged edge. The fin was a very dark grey. There was no disturbance of water around the fin. I have seen many dolphins while surfing, and am certain this was not a dolphin. The fin continued toward us slightly then stopped. We both turned and started paddling for the beach. By the time I reached the beach, I could no longer see the fin.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ventura — On July 31, 2015 Chris Cairns was surfing 100 yards from shore near the South Jetty Ventura Harbor. It was 10:00AM and he had been on the water about 1 hour. The sky was clear with no detectable wind and an estimated air temperature of 74 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm over a sandy bottom 50 � 80 feet deep with limited water visibility and an estimated temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Cairns reported;�While surfing I observed a brief jump of what appeared to be an 8 foot juvenile White Shark. It jumped vertically out of the water approximately 12 feet in the air out near the red harbor buoy at Ventura South Jetty, about 1/4 mile from shore. The shark was dark gray and at first appeared to be a Spinner Dolphin like I see in Hawaii but the outline and size was different. Following the jump I observed a commotion and a splashing motion in the water. Then birds began diving into the water in the same general area I had seen the shark breach and observed the splashing. The birds dove on this same general area for 5 � 10 minutes. Then about 25 minutes later and 100 yards South of the initial disturbance I again observed splashing at the surface followed almost immediately by birds diving into the water. This went on for several minutes.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Catalina Island — On July 30, 2015 Randy Woodmen and an undetermined number of swimmers were snorkeling in Lover's Cove adjacent to Avalon Harbor on Catalina Island. It was about 12:00PM under clear skies with the air temperature in the 70s Fahrenheit and the ocean calm. A single marine mammal was observed. Woodmen reported;�While snorkeling in Lovers Cove on Catalina Island many of us on the water saw a distressed seal followed by a very distinct fin breach the water. The shark appeared to be gray but never saw what the belly looked like. It lingered around long enough for everyone to feel uncomfortable enough to get out of the ocean. It didn't make contact with any of us but was about 200 feet from shore.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
La Jolla — On July 29, 2015 Madeline Krakowiak and her sister were surfing near the Scripps Pier in La Jolla. It was 2:00PM and they had been on the water about 45 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 78 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The sky was clear with the surf more than 4 feet over a sandy ocean bottom about 6 feet deep. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Krakowiak reported;�My sister and I had been adjacent to the Scripps Pier surfing. The surf was fairly big and the sets were frequent, so we spent a lot of time paddling out, then immediately riding one in. My sister was mainly bodysurfing due to the size of the waves. I was about to catch a wave when I tried to check the break and saw my sister about ten feet from me. Behind her in the wave, maybe another ten feet or less, was a very large shark. The shark looked to be 4 � 7 feet in length, dark coloring with a large body and what appeared to be a small tail. I just yelled shark and caught that first wave in, my sister coming right behind me. We stayed out of the water the rest of the day.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On July 29, 2015 Rich (last name withheld) and an unidentified companion were Stand-Up Paddle Surfing at Trail 4, San Onofre State Beach. It was 8:00AM and they had been on the water for 45 minutes. The sky was overcast with little or no wind and an estimated air temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. There was a glassy 3 � 5 foot swell over a sandy/cobble stone bottom about 10 feet deep with 3 feet of visibility and an estimated water temperature of 71 degrees Fahrenheit. There were a few kelp paddies just offshore with some straggler strands near his location. A single Dolphin was sighted just offshore about 20 minutes prior to the encounter. Rich reported;�My friend and I were stand up paddling, about 150 yards offshore, waiting for the next set. We were essentially stationary to land and holding position in the light North current. The shark, which was dark gray on top and about 8 feet in length, approached from the South and swam between us to the North very slowly. We both remained standing on our boards and calmly watched the shark split our positions. The shark was moving very slow, never turned towards us, and made no abrupt turns or speed variation but did swim close by. The shark passed within 5 feet of both our boards and the sighting lasted for approximately 45 seconds. My friend and I were about 10 yards away from each other. As the shark continued Northerly we watched the fin to see if it was going to loop back, then it descended and disappeared. We continued to catch waves for the next 4 hours and did not see it again. It turned out to be the highlight of our surf session.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On July 26, 2015 Robert Averill and two unidentified companions were surfing 100 yards from shore at Trail 2, San Onofre State Beach. It was 8:30AM and they had been on the water about 1 hour. Air and water temperatures were estimated between 70 � 75 and 68 � 70 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The sky was clear and the sea calm with a moderate swell waist to shoulder high. The water was about 8 feet deep over a sandy bottom with scattered rocks and visibility greater than 8 feet. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Averill reported;�Two friends and I were sitting waiting for waves at Trail 2, San Onofre State Beach. We had been catching waves every 5 to 10 minutes or so, and paddling about half the time and sitting about half the time. The shark surfaced 15 � 20 yards outside my friend who was 15 � 20 yards to my left. The dorsal and tail fins stayed out of water, while very slow swimming or staying motionless, pointing South parallel to shore. It did not approach us it just stayed at the surface. All three of us caught the next wave to shore. We estimate that the shark was 6 � 7 feet in length and dark grey in color. The dorsal and tail fins looked like those of a Great White Shark. In speaking with other surfers, this sounds like a pretty regular occurrence at this stretch of beach. Most of the other surfers just stayed out in the water.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Pigeon Point — On July 26, 2015 JD Geiger reported;�I was at the beach approximately 0.75 miles North of the lighthouse at Pigeon Point. I spotted an 8 � 10 foot shark in the lineup. It looked like a Great White Shark. It was about 50 feet, or less, from shore. The air temperature was about 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the water temperature was approximately 62 degrees Fahrenheit. Having been a beach lifeguard for 7 years, I can't stop doing �Z scans' when at the beach. I was watching a European gentleman in the water near the impact zone. When he exited the water I was watching the waves (contemplating a quick body surf with no wetsuit) and I saw the shark behind a wave about to break. I've seen countless Seals, Dolphins and Porpoises - this was certainly a shark. Looked like a juvenile Great White Shark to me.The wife of the gentleman swimming saw the shark too. I asked her what she saw and she confirmed she saw something with a 'tall fin' behind the wave. The shark was literally in the same spot the guy was swimming less than 3 minutes before.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Solimar Beach — On July 20, 2015 Zachary Eichert was surfing with several companion surfers at Solimar Beach, located one mile North of Emma Wood State Beach in Ventura County. It was 8:00AM and he had been on the water about 45 minutes. The sky was overcast with a light offshore breeze and an estimated air temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with a 2 foot swell and an estimated temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Eichert recalled;�While waiting for a set we saw a shark, 5 � 7 feet in length, breech, though difficult to tell size as it was about 150 feet away. I and two other surfers all saw the shark breech the surface and, from our angle, could see only the underside of the shark, which appeared to be solid white. We were all really surprised and speculated about the size and species.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On July 19, 2015 B. F. (name withheld by request) and an unidentified companion were surfing Trail One at San Onofre State Beach. It was 9:30AM and he had been on the water about 1 hour. The sky was partly cloudy with humid conditions from an overnight rain and an estimated air temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Sea conditions were 3 � 5 foot sets over a sandy ocean bottom 15 � 20 feet deep with an estimated water temperature of 66 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Ford recounted;�The waves were really good as the Hurricane Dolores swell filled in throughout the day. It was about an hour into our session as a set approached. The first set wave was pretty far out, so we started paddling pretty hard. We barely made it over the first set wave, as the second and bigger set wave approached. We didn't need to hustle as we were in the perfect area to take off on the wave. As the wave rolled in, we looked and through the wave there was a clear as day silhouette of a 7 foot White Shark. My friend and I were talking about how clean the water was, especially after such a big thunderstorm, so the image of the shark was 100%, no doubt. It was dark grey/black on top, with a white bottom. Immediately I let the set wave wipe me out and drag me back a good 20 � 30 yards, as my friend duck dove and was within 5 feet of the shark. The shark was definitely a juvenile. It literally looked motionless, about 6 inches from the top of the water. It was just sitting there, not doing anything. We exited the water, walked down the beach about 1/4 mile and paddled back out. There were at least 12 other surfers in the water at the time who all moved down the beach. Most surfers stayed in the water.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ocean Beach — On July 18, 2015 Maurice (last name withheld by request) was surfing between Kirkham and Lawton Streets at Ocean Beach, San Francisco. It was 12:15PM and he had been on the water about 1 hour. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 70 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The sky was overcast and the ocean glassy with 3 � 5 foot waves. The water was 7 � 8 feet deep with like visibility as the sandy ocean bottom could be seen easily from the surface. A single pinniped and dolphin were observed prior to the encounter. Maurice reported;�I was sitting on my board waiting for another wave when I saw a splash. I paddled away from where I had seen the splash and then looped back and did a U-turn to go towards it. About one minute later, one man paddled out next to me. We were about 15 � 20 feet apart when the shark came out of the water from behind the man next to me. The shark swam underneath him, then surfaced next to him (it seemed like it was looking at him from above the water), and then immediately swam back down underwater. As it was going back underwater, it whipped its tail on the surface. Neither me nor the man panicked and paddled towards shore about 30 � 50 feet. I caught a wave and then paddled back out to catch one more. I eventually exited the water because the current was pulling me South, so I got out of the water and walked further North to get back in position of the peak. I saw another splash again, which may or may not have been the same shark, which was grey and about 6 feet long.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Sunset Beach — On July 17, 2015 Fran Barron and her husband were Stand-Up-Paddleboarding near Sunset Beach, located in Huntington Beach, Orange County. It was 10:00AM and they had been on the water about 15 minutes. The sky was overcast with a mild wind and an estimated air temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was textured from the breeze near riptides with a depth of 3 � 4 feet and an estimated water temperature of 62 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Barron reported;�We paddled South about 0.5 miles from 25th Street in Sunset Beach, to avoid this summer's White Shark feeding area that extends from 25 th Street through Surfside Colony. We rode a small wave in to an area that had a depth of approximately 3 � 4 feet. I jumped off my board to exit the wave then climbed aboard to paddle out. I observed a White Shark, about 7 feet in length, swimming right next to my board, about 1 foot from the side of my board and 2 feet under the surface. I called out to my husband that it was coming his way. The shark continued past me directly toward my husband's board, circled below it and took off toward the shore. The shark swam slowly and deliberately next to me then off toward my husband's board. We both left the area immediately and warned nearby surfers.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Montecito — On July 16, 2015 Scott Graeber was surfing at Hammonds Meadow Reef in Montecito near Santa Barbara. It was 12:30 PM and he had been on the water about 90 minutes. He recorded air and water temperatures of 68 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The sky was clear with a 2 � 3 foot ocean wind swell. The bottom was primarily sand and about 10 feet deep with water visibility estimated at 20 feet. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Graeber recounted;�I was paddling from Hammond's to Miramar on my daily paddle in Santa Barbara. Today the surf was good so I paddled up to the reef from the parking lot with a shortboard. When I was finished surfing, I decided to paddle back to Miramar. When I crossed over the sand bank near the creek I saw the shark. I am used to seeing rays and leopard sharks daily but this shark was sitting higher in the water and much bigger. The White Shark was about 8 feet in length. I paddled behind it and it caught my shadow and took off. I continued my paddle back to shore and did not see the shark again after the earlier encounter.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Huntington Beach — On July 16, 2015 Daniel Place was surfing at Huntington Beach. It was 6:30 AM and he was 200 � 300 yards from shore. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 65 and 66 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. Place reported;�I observed a commotion on the surface followed by a single fin swimming in a tight pattern for a several seconds before going under and not resurfacing. I surf 2 � 3 times per week and see a lot of Dolphins and the movement here, and fin shape was very different during this sighting.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Stinson Beach — On July 13, 2015 Paul Solli reported the following;�I was kiteboarding off Stinson Beach, Marin County, about 1/4 mile from shore heading in. Suddenly, a shark about 4 feet long jumped from the water about twenty yards in front of me. It looked like it was attacking something on the surface, and rolled around on top for about 2 seconds. It had a jet black back and bright white underbelly. There was one witness on shore who saw the shark jump out of the water in front of me. My best guess is that it was a Salmon Shark (Lamna ditropis) attacking a Salmon or Striped Bass, but it looked just like a small Great White Shark. When it jumped out of the water it looked like slow motion footage on the Discovery Channel.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ventura — On July 12, 2015 Chris Creighton and his daughter were swimming 200 � 300 yards from shore at Solamar Beach, located North of the Ventura River in Ventura. It was 4:00PM and they had been in the water about 2 hours. The sky was clear with an estimated air temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The sea was calm with an estimated water temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Creighton reported;�We were swimming when we observed a large fish breach, coming completely out of the water. I've seen many Dolphins and Whales but this animal breached differently, more like a large fish on a hook. The distinctive shape of the mouth, a frown, made me quickly realize we saw a shark. As we left the water, another local resident confirmed it was not a Dolphin. We warned other beach goers and most took it seriously. The size of the shark appeared to be about 6 feet. Searching images on the Internet, my daughter and I both recognize it as a White Shark, or maybe a Mako Shark.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Manhattan Beach — On July 12, 2015 Michael Hays was swimming near the Manhattan Beach Pier in Manhattan Beach. It was 9:10AM and he had been in the water 39 minutes. The ocean was somewhat calm past the surfline with 20 feet of underwater visibility and a recorded temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The sky was clear with an estimated air temperature in the low 70s Fahrenheit. A pod of 4 � 5 Dolphins were observed 0.5 � 0.75 miles South of Manhattan Beach Pier. Hays reported;�I was ocean swimming for about a mile with some friends. I had on my swim goggles, a florescent green swim cap, and my swim jammers that were black with a blue stripe on each side. We started about 1 mile South of the Manhattan Beach pier. As we were walking South on the beach we observed 4 � 5 Dolphins, 50 � 70 yards offshore heading North toward the pier. They were 0.5 to 0.75 miles South of the pier. We swam without incident until I stopped at the North-West corner of the pier to wait for a swimmer that was 30 � 40 yards behind me. I was 20 � 30 feet from the pier, treading water and facing South-West. As soon as I stopped, I felt something touch my right foot, moving from right to left. I thought it was a fish or dolphin. I quickly looked underwater to my left and saw the back half of a shark headed toward the pier. My head came out of the water to take a breath and I quickly put my head underwater to locate the shark. It turned right so that it was 8 � 12 feet West of me. Now I was able to see its full body. It was 6 � 8 feet in length and bulky, similar to a Great White. Its body was slightly curved towards me. My first thought was to scare it or camouflage myself. I started to converge my arms to the front to create a bubble wall. I only did this once. I took a breath and put my head underwater again. I was still able to see the shark and it turned left heading West. I lost sight of the shark due to the visibility of the water which was about 20 feet. I looked underwater but saw no sign of the shark. After the female friend and another swimmer met up with me we headed to shore. My friends did not see the shark. I was not harmed. I did not report the incident to the lifeguards until about 2.5 hours after the incident. I reported to the first life guard tower that was North of the pier. Since some amount of time passed, the lifeguards did not need to close down the beach. They recorded my name and phone number. No further contacts were made to me for further information. I did not recall hearing anyone else yelling shark during the time I was nearby the pier (and there were a few people on the pier). However, when I got on shore someone passing by told me there were people yelling shark and the a friend told me the next day that he was near the pier surfing and he heard people yelling shark around the time I was at the pier.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Laguna Beach — On July 10, 2015 Ryan Vaughn was surfing about 50 yards from shore at 1,000 Steps Beach located near 9th Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. It was between 12 and 1PM and he had been on the water about 30 minutes. The sky was clear with a very light wind. The ocean was calm with a few rip tides over a sandy bottom 5 � 10 feet deep and an estimated temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Vaughn recalled;�I was kicking and paddling in the water when I noticed a dark object swimming in front of me. Then within a few seconds it looked to be swimming directly toward me. At that moment I was frozen as it came right at me then about 4feet next to me it turned 180 degrees and started to swim off toward deeper water. I told my buddies, who were also body boarding, about the shark and we got out of the water. A swimmer, whose foot had been cut earlier that day surfing, also got out of the water. I believe the shark, which was 6 � 8 feet in length and grey in color, was just checking me out. I have seen Leopard Sharks and I believe it was not one due to size and color.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On July 9, 2015 Jack Lazenby and two unidentified companions were surfing Upper Trestles at San Onofre State Beach. It was 2:30PM and they had been on the water about 90 minutes. It was sunny with a mild breeze and an estimated air temperature of 73 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was glassy with 3 � 5 foot waves and a slight ripple on the surface of the water. The ocean floor was rocky and maybe 5 � 6 feet deep with an estimated temperature in the low 70s Fahrenheit. There were maybe 3 � 5 dolphins observed further from shore than the surfers about 15 minutes prior to the encounter. Lazenby reported;�My friend and I, along with another surfer beside us, were paddling back straight out to the lineup when we were about to duck dive a wave. We saw the shark right in front of us. It was over 10 feet in length and only about 5 � 10 feet away from the wave we were preparing to duck dive. The shark was riding the wave diagonally and fast, seeming that it was possibly chasing something. My friend paddled in and I stayed to catch another wave to make sure it was a shark. I did not see a fin come up again or see it ride another wave. Others reported seeing it nearby us as well when about six of us met on the beach. We all identified the shark as a Great White.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Manhattan Beach — On July 7, 2015 David Binder was walking on the Manhattan Beach Pier. It was 11:00AM with an overcast sky and an estimated air temperature in the upper 60s Fahrenheit. Water visibility was limited to about 3 feet. Baitfish and Bottlenose Dolphins were observed in the area. Binder reported;�While walking on the pier I observed two Great White Sharks, about 10 � 12 feet in length, swimming near the shore and very close to the pier. I observed them for about an hour. At one point a shark swam very close to a surfer. A man swimming nearby was warned by the surfer but he ignored his warning and just kept swimming with the shark only about 3 feet away. The shark was lazily swimming back and forth near shore and very close to the pier. The shark just swam by the surfer and swimmer.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Manhattan Beach — On July 7, 2015 Kathleen Ly and an unidentified companion were surfing near 9th Street in Manhattan Beach. It was 7:30AM and they had been on the water about 30 minutes. The sky was overcast with an estimated air temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was glassy smooth with 2 � 3 foot waves over a sandy bottom 5 � 6 feet deep. The estimated water temperature was 65 degrees Fahrenheit. A single Dolphin was observed in the area further out from the surfers. Ly recalled;�We were surfing and decided to move to another spot. We observed the shark from shore. It appeared to be a juvenile Great White feeding really close to shore. It was swimming back and forth and it was crazier than it sounds as usually we see the fin, but this time, the tide was so low and the shark was moving so much, that it turned around to face the horizon, and we saw its tail, which was super huge.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Half Moon Bay — On July 5, 2015 Colleen Halverson reported the following;�W hile walking on the beach in the Miramar area of Half Moon Bay, we saw a school of 5 sharks and several minutes later a single shark. They were just behind breaking waves, not very far out. The single shark caught a wave and I could see it vertically in the sheer wave when the wave was breaking.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ventura — On July 4, 2015 Bartt Bramwell and an unidentified companion were surfing at the mouth of the Santa Clara River near Ventura. It was 9:30am and he had been on the water about 45 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 66 and 62 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The ocean was mostly smooth with rip-currents and eddies between the sandbars. The ocean floor was sandy and 4 � 6 feet deep with water visibility 2 � 3 feet. No marine mammals were observed in the area but there were an undetermined number of pelicans diving into the water for bait fish. Bramwell recounted;�My friend and I were sitting on our surfboards. The waves were very small and inconsistent. We were sitting motionless on our boards when we both observed a fin about 50 yards to the South, parallel of us. The shark was always in an area of water that had rip currents. The fin, which was dark in color with 6 � 8 inches exposed above the water, would pop up and be stationary and then disappear. This happened two times and we decided to exit the water. We did not feel threaten, but uncomfortable. Two surfers about a 150 yards North of us, also exited the water around the same time and were pointing towards the ocean. After waiting 5 minutes and not seeing a fin, my friend and I walked about 5 minutes South and paddled back out. Within 5 minutes the fin popped up stationary again. The fin was parallel to us about 50 yards to the North this time. My friend and I exited the water for the day. A local fisherman on the beach said the area we were surfing was called the �shark bar' and there have been several sightings of a baby White Shark in that area over the last month. He also said that the area that the shark is hanging out is where the sand from a recent harbor dredging has been deposited. In the parking lot a couple surfers who were planning to go out, reported to us that the two other surfers to the South of us that had exited the water, told them they had seen a shark.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Clemente — On June 29, 2015 Fred Swegles of the Orange County Register reported a fisherman hooking and releasing an 8 foot Great White Shark off the San Clemente Pier over the weekend. For the complete story use the following link to the OC Register story; http://www.ocregister.com/articles/pier-669306-white-shark.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook . Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Torrey Pines State Beach — On June 26, 2015 Joel Poukkula was surfing at Torrey Pines State Beach. It was 3:30 PM and he had been on the water 15 minutes. The sky was clear with a mild southerly breeze and an estimated air temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The surf was 1 � 2 feet with a light chop over a sandy ocean bottom 3 � 4 feet deep and an estimated temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Poukkula reported;�I had just paddled back out to the surf lineup when I noticed a large dark area under the water to the right of me. Initially I thought it was some loose kelp, but as I looked closer I saw a large shark shape turn towards me. This immediately triggered a flight response and I caught the next wave in. It was not a dolphin, and much bigger than a Leopard Shark. Although I did not see it clearly, it appeared to have the usual shark features, pectoral fins at a 45 angle to body, bulbous front half of body compared the tail, and a large dorsal fin.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Aptos — On June 26, 2015 CBS San Francisco reported; �A competition for junior lifeguards had to be called off after more than a dozen Great White Sharks were spotted near the cement ship in the Aptos area South of Santa Cruz. 'Today I went up with Specialized Helicopters and we witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime-event. We saw over 15 Great White Sharks swimming within a quarter mile radius,' reported Captain Giancarlo Thomae to KSBW News." Additional information is available at; http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/06/26/great-white-shark-sightings-force-lifeguard-competition-cancellation-in-santa-cruz-area/ . Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On June 21, 2015 Joel Stevens was surfing 100 � 300 yards from shore at Trail One, San Onofre State Beach. It was after 3:00PM and he had been on the water about 30 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated in the upper 70s and 60s Fahrenheit, respectively. The sky was clear and there was a mild breeze. The surf was 2 � 3 feet with an occasional 4 foot set. The water was 10 � 20 feet deep over a sandy ocean bottom with scattered rocks prevalent toward the beach and 5 � 10 feet of underwater visibility. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Stevens recounted;�I paddled out into the lineup after grabbing a nice wave. On my way out, I saw a brown-bronze colored movement just under the surface of the water about 10 feet away. I paddled over to have a look and before I knew it, I was hovering over a shark, approaching it from behind. It was submerged 3 � 4 feet from me and when it noticed me, it took off like a rocket. The shark looked to be about 8 feet long, �girthy', with very thick keels near the caudal fin. There was also a smaller juvenile Great White Shark, about 5 feet in length, swimming beyond the break, with its fin protruding the surface. I paddled out to investigate and the shark started swimming towards me. As it got closer to me, the shark veered away, very docile like, and swam slowly towards the lineup, near a rip. It circled around, just under the surface. I hung around the shark for about 30 minutes until it cruised out towards deeper water. At one point, a set-wave jacked up in front of everyone and we could see the shark in the wave, and with the sun behind it, a perfect glimpse was offered us, and the shark seemed to surf in the wave momentarily. A few people were afraid and went in. I have seen many Great Whites here before and have surfed with them for many years. There were no signs of bait in the water, as far as I could tell, but some of the local kayak fishing reports had been reporting a lot of Leopard Sharks, Shovelnose Guitarfish, and Dogfish Sharks being caught off of Dana. I did notice that the smaller Great White was attracted to my splashing when I fluttered my hands in the water, and it came to investigate. I don't think I would swim at night at Trail 1, but the sharks have never once displayed aggressive behavior towards the surfers since I have been going there. They are a majestic creature, curious, and beautiful to watch, although it I best to be cautious and keep an eye on the animal's behavior.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Dana Point Harbor — On June 19, 2015 Chris Cooper was anchored just outside the entrance to Dana Point Harbor cleaning fish. It was 4:00 PM and the sky was sunny with a light 5 � 10 mph breeze and an estimated air temperature of 76 degrees Fahrenheit. The sea was calm and 20 feet deep over a sandy bottom with a Westerly swell and an estimated temperature of 66 degrees Fahrenheit. Several pinnipeds were observed in the area. Cooper reported;�We were just inside the breakwater cleaning the 12 Yellowtail that we had caught that day. We were approximately 20 minutes into the process and I happen to glance over the side of the boat. I witnessed the juvenile Great White Shark pass by the boat and grab some of the fish discarded over the side of the boat. It circled back around and headed East towards Doheny State Beach. The shark was approximately 6 feet in length and came within a range of 3 � 4 feet of the boat. It briefly turned on its side to expose its white underbelly to help facilitate it grabbing discarded Yellowtail parts.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Hermosa Beach — On June 18, 2015 Vince Ursini was surfing near Longfellow Tower in Hermosa Beach. It was 10:30 AM and he had been on the water 45 minutes. The sky was overcast with an estimated air temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with 1 � 2 foot surf over a sandy bottom 5 � 6 feet deep. Estimated water temperature was 63 degrees Fahrenheit and visibility exceeded the depth as the bottom could be seen easily from the surface. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Ursini reported;�I was in the line up with a fellow surfer I just met, Dave, a NYC transplant. He told me about a juvenile White Shark he has seen the last few days. About 15 minutes after that, we both observed a �smallish' dorsal fin protruding from the water's surface approximately 20 yards North of us. It was stationary, as if the shark was just floating. We both caught the next wave and we're now standing in waist to chest high water. The shark swam South and glided into a wave. The shark was now just West of us, approximately 15 to 20 yards away. A kayaker approached and photographed the shark that again was just floating. Suddenly, the shark looked in our direction and darted toward us in an approaching wave. I was eye ball to eye ball with nature's most fierce predator and it suddenly stopped. Dave and I got out of the water. The shark was not aggressive, seemed more curious. According to Dave this appeared to be the same shark he has previously encountered and it appears to be getting less weary of humans.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Seal Beach — On June 17, 2015 Jon Saksa was surf fishing 150 yards South of the rock jetty at Surfside in Seal Beach. It was 6:45 AM and he had been fishing about 20 minutes. The sky was overcast with an estimated air temperature of 66 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with 2 � 3 foot waves and a slight undertow with an estimated water temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Saksa reported;�I was fishing from the shore when I observed a shark breach about 350 yards out from the beach. It turned with its snout slightly upward so I could see its white under belly. Its back was slightly darker grey than a dolphin or other type of shark. It never came back up, but I got a beautiful memory of one of the most intriguing fish of the sea.� This is the location of numerous recent sightings of White Sharks. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Redondo Beach — On June 16, 2015 Beau Greely and an unidentified companion were Stand Up Paddleboarding in King Harbor, Redondo Beach. It was 4:00 PM and he had been on the water 45 minutes. The water was 8 � 10 feet deep over a sandy/rocky bottom with scattered kelps. Water temperature was estimated at 67 � 68 degrees Fahrenheit with visibility greater than the depth as the bottom could be seen clearly from the surface. Greely reported;�I took my SUP out for an afternoon cruise launching from the dock on the South-East side of King Harbor at 3:15 PM. I paddled toward the break wall across the jetty. As I paddled over to the glassy water right next to the break wall I saw several seals swimming by for their afternoon feed/swim. Normally there are a group of them sunning on the wall. Looking in that direction I did not see any on the rocks. It was a typical �June Gloom' day and about 73 degrees Fahrenheit when I started. Wind was minimal according to �Surf Report' App. There were small whitecaps along most of the jetty, and it was glassy smooth from the break wall to 75 yards away from the wall. When I got to the glassy water I was talking to another SUP friend. As we talked I noticed about 10 seals swim to the wall and they proceeded to get out of the water hopping onto the rocks out of �Harms Way.' I commented to my friend that I found it unusual for that many seals to assemble within a two minute span. About that time 4:05 I noticed something jump out of the water, my first thought before I got my head turned was that it was a seal. I turned around quick enough to see what appeared to be a big fish b/c of the size of the Sharks tail. Straight away I told my buddy that it looked like a shark. I was scoping the water hoping to see it as water visibility in that area was a minimum of 10 feet from my vantage point on top of the water. As I looked down I saw what appeared to be a 7½ � 8 foot shark. Closely viewing the shark it was clear that it was a juvenile Great White Shark. It was a dark grey and when it swam by me it didn't give any notice of me or my friend. I immediately paddled in the direction he looked to be going. I was going very slowly so there was no splash from my paddle. As I looked up, about 5 yards in front of me, I saw it whip around explosively with the thrust from his tale. I saw a small bit of white on its lower front girth. At that point I had absolutely no doubt what kind of shark we were fortunate enough to see. Its behavior for the short time I saw it was confused, frantic and lost. I don't know of its whereabouts after my second sighting but it was heading for the harbor entrance/exit. We were never in danger and it showed no Interest in us at all. It was great to see it swimming so freely and in no danger whatsoever. Pretty sweet little Tuesday.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Manhattan Beach — On June 14, 2015 Marco Palma and an unidentified companion were surfing El Porto just South of Rosecrans in Manhattan Beach. It was 9:30 AM and they had been on the water about 30 minutes. The sky was overcast with a light breeze and an estimated air temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was glassy calm with small waves over a sandy ocean bottom 6 � 7 feet deep. Water visibility was about 4 feet with an estimated temperature of 63 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Palma recounted;�A friend and I were in the lineup waiting for knee-to-waste high waves. We saw a small fin emerge slightly out of the water about 2 yards Southwest of friend. This is the second time we have seen sharks at this break, so I wasn't as alarmed, though I did start to paddling calmly to shore. He shouted that he saw another fin and thought it might be another shark, but a paddleboarder a few yards away stated that it was definitely one shark and that it was �girthy'. I was half-way to shore, but noticed that my friend still wasn't paddling in. After another minute or so, he finally started paddling for the next wave. Once on shore he mentioned that the shark had swum underneath him and was in between him and the shore, hence his hesitation to paddle in. He also mentioned that it seemed like it was 7 feet long and that the previous day there had been a helicopter cruising the shoreline announcing that there was a shark in the water and asking people to get out of the water. We walked up the beach about 100 feet and after a few minutes paddled out next to the paddleboarder and his family and friends. Nobody else left the water and we did not see any sharks for the next hour or so.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On June 7, 2015 Paul Franks was surfing Trail 1 at San Onofre State Beach. It was 6:30 � 7:00 PM and he had been on the water about 30 minutes. The sky was overcast with an estimated air temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with a 3 � 4 foot surf and 1 � 2 feet of water visibility over a sandy bottom with scattered rocks. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Franks recalled;�There were only 2 surfers in the water, me and 1 other. We were 150 � 200 feet from shore and were 30 � 40 feet apart. I was sitting on my board waiting for next set when the other surfer began shouting repeatedly until I understood what he was saying and pointing at shark fin, heading directly towards me. It was moving very slowly and deliberately, about 15 � 20 feet from me on my right, at my 2o'clock position, between the two of us. The shark continued straight toward me until about 6 � 8 feet away, then circled slowly across the front of my board and round to my left, about my 9 o'clock position. The fin sank beneath the water for a few moments then reappeared about 10 feet away, continued on slowly for a few feet then sank and that was the last we saw of it. The shark came from the North heading to the South. The shark appeared to be 6 � 8 feet in length.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Huntington Beach — On June 7, 2015 Andy Farmer was surfing at Dog Beach, a break at Huntington Beach. It was 7:30 AM and he had been on the water about 45 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 67 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The sky was overcast with a mild Northwest breeze. The surf was 2 � 3 feet with a noticeable negative low tide. The water was 5 feet deep over a sandy ocean bottom with 3 � 4 feet of visibility. No marine mammals were observed prior to, or during, the encounter. Farmer reported;�I had just caught a wave and was paddling back out. I was going over a very small inside wave when I noticed the shark to my right slowly swimming straight towards me. At this point it was completely submerged but I could still make out the shape of the shark. I immediately knew what it was because I am an avid surfer and know what a dolphin looks, and swims, like underwater when I see one. Also, it was alone. I frantically paddled in the same direction that I was headed, which is out to the lineup. I made it about 15 yards away from where I encountered the shark and turned around towards the beach. Another surfer was paddling right over where I had seen the shark, and I warned him and told him to look around to see if he can see it. He looked down and then yelled for his son to paddle to the beach. When I met him on the beach he confirmed that he also saw the Great White Shark when I pointed it out and we both estimated it to be 8+ feet in length. I ran down the beach and paddled back out to tell my brother. We surfed for another 45 minutes without an encounter.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Dana Point — On June 6, 2015 Ronald Almero and an unidentified companion were Stand Up Paddleboarding near Crayfish Rock in Dana Point. It was 5:00 PM and they had been on the water about 45 minutes. The sky was clear with a 5 � 7 MPH breeze from the East and an estimated air temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with a 1 � 2 foot swell. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Almero recounted;�A friend and I launched from Baby Beach, Dana Point at around 4:15 PM and paddled our way to the exit at Dana Point Harbor where we paddled towards Crawfish Rock. We then headed to one of the buoys to circle it and head back. At around 5:00 PM, while we were on our way back to Dana Point Harbor boat entrance, a shark measuring about half of my friend's paddle board, which is 11 feet long, started circling him in a figure 8 motion with the tail fin going side to side. The shark was dark gray in color, 5 � 7 feet in length with the dorsal fin slightly curved, and measuring 6 � 8 inches high from a distance of about 30 feet. He started to yell at me that there's a shark following him so I paddled closer to him and identified the dorsal fin as it slightly surface in the water, I stayed as close to my friend as possible but he was paddling harder than I was. We were both a little freaked out and sprinted towards the Harbor entrance, the shark followed us for a good 5 minutes but as we got near the rocks at the entrance, it swam off. About 5 minutes before the encounter my friend and I were watching a boat dump fish parts and bait as it headed back to the harbor with about 20 � 30 birds, most of them Pelicans, following it so we both think that might have attracted that shark to where we were.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Huntington Beach — On June 4, 2015 Simon Short reported;�It was about 5:00 PM and I had been surfing an hour just off of 16th Street in Huntington Beach. The surf was 3 � 5 feet with an estimated water temperature of 64 degrees Fahrenheit. The sky was clear with an estimated temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. I was waiting between sets, as an unbroken wave passed under me I looked back out to the horizon and saw a huge dorsal fin about 30 yards further out. I would estimate the dorsal fin was 18 inches high. I could also see part of the shark's back. The first thing that struck me was the size. I've been surfing for 15 years and see Dolphins all the time, this was 3 times as big and almost black looking. The fin shape was also different. I knew immediately it was a shark. The shark disappeared quickly back under and I didn't see it again. When I got home I checked the Internet to confirm my sighting and matched what I'd seen to a Great White Shark dorsal fin.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Francisco — On May 29, 2015 Andy Falk reported;�At approximately 10:30am I was surfing near the point at Fort Cronkhite , San Francisco with one other guy. There were about a dozen other surfers just to the South of us on the next peak over. I spotted a fin about 75 yards outside the lineup. The water was 54 degrees, the air about the same, the surf conditions were 3 � 5 feet. I immediately paddled in past the other surfer who was on his way back to the lineup. He ignored me when I told him I had spotted a fin. Onshore I told another surfer I'd seen a fin and he said; 'it was probably a dolphin, we see them here all the time.' The shape of the fin was definitely not a dolphin or porpoise. It was not swimming in the arcing fashion of a dolphin or porpoise. There was no question based on the size and shape of the fin it was a Great White Shark.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Seal Beach — On May 14, 2014 KNBC News reported;�At least six sharks were sighted off the shore of an Orange County beach community, including one that swam right up to a sheriff's boat, deputies said. Deputies with the OC Sheriff's Department aren't sounding the alarm, however, just sharing their up-close encounter. The sharks seen near Seal Beach and Huntington Beach Monday created no safety concerns, according to Orange County Sheriff's Lt. Jeff Hallock. Spotted by a fireboat patrolling near the Seal Beach community of Surfside, the sharks were about 5 � 6 feet long, as measured by a sheriff's helicopter on a flyby. The helicopter spotted at least six sharks, according to a post on a department Instagram page. Hallock said some signs were posted to the beach and lifeguards at Seal Beach and nearby Huntington Beach were monitoring, but the department didn't want to raise concern with the video. Sheriff's Harbor Patrol Sergeant John Hollenbeck said the sharks were Great Whites, and that they usually swim to deeper water by the time they become adults and are no cause for panic.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On April 30, 2015 Jason (last name withheld) was surfing Trail 4 at San Onofre State Beach. It was 7:10AM and he had been on the water 45 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. It was clear with a glassy ocean and a 3 foot surf. Water is known to be about 10 feet at this location over a sandy bottom. Water visibility was very limited water, less than 4 feet. Jason reported;�I was waiting on the next set when I heard a splash just North of me. I observed a dorsal fin about 12 inches high, approximately 50 feet from me, swimming slowly in my direction. The water was murky, I could barely see my feet, and I was the only one surfing so I decided to get out as I wasn't sure if it was a shark or a dolphin. I exited the water and watched from the bluffs. I saw a total of 3 dorsal fins remaining at the surface, 2 close to each other and the third approximately 100 yards South of the other two. I observed the solo shark rear tail occasionally thrashing side to side. Based on the motion of how they were swimming, the dorsal fin remaining at the surface for extended periods and the side to side movement of the tail I realized they were sharks and not Dolphins. After watching for 10 minutes I identified them as sharks based on the dorsal fins remaining on the surface with no diving as Dolphins do. I also could occasionally see the tail thrashing in a side to side manner, as well as sharp turning movements consistent with the distinct manner in which sharks swim.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Bolsa Chica State Beach — On April 30, 2015 Tiffany Pla was walking along Bolsa Chica State Beach just south of Lifeguard Tower 18. It was 9:30AM with a clear sky and slight breeze. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 65 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. While walking along the beach she observed a headless dead seal on shore, about 4 feet in length. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On April 27, 2015 Michael Price was surfing just North of the reef at Trail 1, San Onofre State Beach. It was 10:30 AM and he had been on the water about 30 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 65 and 62 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The sky was clear with a mild breeze creating a wind ripple on the ocean's surface. The surf was 2 � 3 feet over a sandy bottom with water visibility limited to 1 � 2 feet. The encounter occurred in about 20 feet of water. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Price recalled;�I was surfing at trail one just north of the reef by myself. No other surfers were in the immediate vicinity. After about one-half hour in the water, 10:30 am, a 6 � 8 foot Great White Shark casually swam by within several feet of my board. The shark swam by, took no interest in me, and I did not see it again. I have seen sharks in this area before and decided to continue surfing for another hour.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ventura Point — On April 20, 2015 Jeffrey Tedmori was surfing with about 10 other surfers at Ventura Point. It was 12:30PM and he had been on the water about 30 minutes. The sky was clear with an estimated temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm over a rocky bottom about 15 feet deep with an estimated temperature of 58 � 60 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Tedmori reported;�While waiting for a set, I observed, 200 � 300 yards off the nose of my board, an 8 foot shark breach clear out of the water. It jumped up vertically and kept kicking with its tail. Tail was not long like a Thresher Shark (Alopiidae), which leads me to believe it was a Juvenile White Shark.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Huntington Beach — On April 20, 2015 Jake Gordon and an unidentified friend were surfing at Surfside Colony just North of Huntington Beach, in front of the playground on the beach. It was 9:00AM and he had been on the water about 15 minutes. The sky was cloudy with a brisk breeze and an estimated air temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was choppy and 4 � 6 feet deep over a sandy bottom with an estimated temperature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Gordon recalled; "A friend and I were surfing for about 15 minutes and were sitting up on our boards waiting for a set to approach. About 15 to 30 yards beyond the surf zone we saw a dark colored shark, 5 � 7 feet in length, breach the water and land on its side. This was not a Dolphin. After seeing this we immediately paddled into shore. There have been a few other shark sightings in front of the playground in the past few weeks and this is exact where we were surfing.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On April 18, 2015 Jason Richards was Stand Up Paddleboarding at Trail 1, San Onofre State Beach. It was 8:00AM and he had been on the water 30 minutes. The sky was clear with an estimated air temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with 2 � 3 foot waves over a sandy ocean bottom 6 � 8 feet deep with an estimated water temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Richards recalled;�I was surfing on a Stand Up Paddleboard, when I noticed a very slow moving dorsal fin sticking four to six inches out of the water. It was moving South to North just outside of the breaking waves. I saw it for a minute or two and then did not see it again and continued surfing. About an hour later I saw it approaching swimming straight at me. It got about 15 feet from me and I had a very good look at it for probably 25 feet, definitely a Great White Shark, 4 � 5 feet in length. During the time I was observing the shark it was swimming very slow no aggressive nature whatsoever, my brother was with me, he and I continued to surf and just kept our eye on it. A couple other guys with us got out of the water immediately.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Sunset Set — On April 17, 2015 Allen Hsu reported the following; �I was surfing at Orange County's Sunset Beach (north of Bolsa Chica). The water was colder than usual, probably ~ 60F ~ 62F. The ocean surface was calm with wave's knee to waist height. I was in the water for 10 minutes and caught my first wave. Before I paddle back from the first wave, I saw some splashing on the surface of water about 30 yards from shore. I didn't think much of it and kept paddling back. When I was also about 30 yards from shore, all of sudden I saw this dorsal fin that was size of my hand (~6 inches tall) less than 15 feet away from me. The dorsal fin moved left for a while and moved right in this smooth motion that didn't resemble dolphin movement. The dorsal fin looked nothing like dolphin neither! Few seconds later I was pretty sure I saw the vertical tip of the tail and this was when I was sure it was a shark and started paddled back to shore in panic. Once I got out of water, I could still spot the triangle dorsal fin on the surface from shore, but it only lasted for a few seconds. I thought I was crazy, but while I was rinsing, I met another surfer and he confirmed sighting of the shark. He said he did see the tail thrashing on the surface of water and that's why he got out of water too. He said the shark is about 5 ~ 6 ft long, and he also mentioned that this was his first time seeing a shark in his 20 years surfing at Sunset Beach, Orange Country.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Clemente — On April 11, 2015 Fred Swegles of the Orange County Register reported the following;� Marine safety officials temporarily closed access to the ocean off San Clemente's city beaches Monday morning following a reported sighting of a Great White Shark off the end of the Municipal Pier. Marine Safety Officer Nick Giugni said lifeguards prohibited people from going into the water from North Beach to Lasuen Beach at 9:40 a.m. as a precaution after a fisherman reported the sighting and verified it with a photograph. Giugni said the sighting was at 9:18 a.m. and lifeguards took action as soon as it was reported. The shark was observed swimming from North to South 50 feet off the pier for about 30 seconds. San Clemente's pier is nearly 1,300 feet long. City lifeguards notified San Clemente State Beach lifeguards just South of city beaches. Lifeguards at those beaches decided to give public announcement warnings to beachgoers.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On April 10, 2015 Rudy (last name withheld by request) and his son and a companion were surfing at Trail 1, San Onofre State Beach. It was 7:30 AM and they had been on the water about 15 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 65 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The sky was clear with a light texture on the ocean surface over a rocky/sand bottom about 6 feet deep. Water visibility was limited to 1 or 2 feet. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Rudy reported;�My son and his friend and I had just paddled out North of Trail 1. It was an extremely low tide. Just as we got out in the lineup my son's friend to a small wave to the beach. My son then looked at me and said; �Dad I just saw a fin and it was not a dolphin.' He turned to go in and as I turned to look out to sea I saw a fin about 8 inches long roughly 15 yards away. I told my son's friend to paddle slowly to the beach.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On April 4, 2015 Dennis Imhof reported the following;�My friends and I saw a shark today, at approximately 9.30AM at Trail 1, San Onofre State Beach. It was pretty close to the surfer but did not show any aggressive behavior. It was cruising up and down behind the surf break. I only saw the fin, some other people in the water said it was approximately 6 � 8 feet in length. It looks like this �guy' is living there for the past couple of weeks.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On April 1, 2015 Mark Wolff was surfing Trail 1 at San Onofre State Beach. It was 1:00 PM and he had been on the water about 1 hour. The sky was clear with a mild SW breeze and an estimated air temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. There was a 3 � 5 foot SW swell and a light surface wind chop over a sandy bottom with some scattered rock. The visibility was 2 � 4 feet due to suspended sand with an estimated temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Wolff reported;�I was surfing alone at Trail 1 and in the water for about an hour when a shark, with a dark upper body and approximately 6 feet in length, swam by me. It was swimming slowly just below the surface of the water and exhibited no aggressive or curious behavior toward me. From what I could see, its body looked somewhat slender, without significant bulk at its midsection. At one point its dorsal fin appeared about 4 � 6 inches above the surface of the water. Unlike the dorsal fin of a dolphin, this fin was curved at the anterior with no discernible rake at the posterior; the backside appeared to drop almost vertically at 90 degrees from the tip. After the shark passed, I slowly paddled to the inside and returned to shore. There have been numerous similar sightings in this area by various people over the past few weeks.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On March 30, 2015 Xavier Stevens was surfing 75 yards from shore at Trail 1, San Onofre State Beach. It was 1:20 PM and he had been on the water about 90 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 70 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The surf was 6 � 8 feet with water visibility limited to 3 � 4 feet. Stevens reported;�I saw a Seal/Sea Lion about 30 yards inside of me maybe 30 minutes before the encounter. It looked like it was fishing. I saw it come up and then dive. I had been surfing over the rocky reef section by myself. There was a standup paddler about 100 yards South of my position. The shark approached towards me directly and I noticed its fin tracking about 20 yards away. I caught a shadow profile when it was backlit in a wave. I'm estimating it was 6 � 8 feet long. Dorsal fin was probably somewhere in the 10 � 12 inch range. It was staying near the surface and swimming at an easy pace towards me. I did not feel threatened in any way, but I exited the water immediately out of caution.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Hollywood Beach — On March 28, 2015 Kyle Newman was surfing Hollywood Beach in Oxnard. It was 2:30 PM and he had been joined by 5 other surfers. The sky was clear with an estimated air temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean had a light chop with 5 � 6 foot waves over a sandy-reef bottom. No marine mammals were observed. Newman reported;�Out of the corner of my eye I saw this dolphin looking animal jump vertically out of the water about 20 feet from me. I saw the white belly and the shark wiggling, which made us think it was a Great White Shark. All of us were in shock and started paddling towards shore. The shark was about 6 � 7 feet in length and its tail was 3 feet out of the water.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On March 27, 2015 Dave Schulte was surfing Trail 1 at San Onofre State Beach. It was 3:30 PM and he had been on the water about 10 minutes. The sky was clear with the swell 3 � 5 feet over a rocky/sandy bottom about 10 feet deep. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Schulte reported;�I was joined by four other guys that had just paddled out at Trail One on the North end in front of the underground river outlet toward Echo Arch area. This is the same location where I have videotaped Great White Sharks in the past. Just to the North of us a 6 foot Great White Shark showed its dorsal fin several times in a somewhat aggressive manner and very close to one guy as he paddled back out after riding a wave. We moved South of this location and surfed for a long while. While in this location I did notice it come to the surface briefly again as I was waiting for a wave. Several people reported seeing several Great White Sharks today and last week including an incident with a 12+ foot Great White Shark and two smaller sharks at Trail One last week that prompted them to get out of the water. From what I have been hearing there are many sharks cruising at Trail One over the past few weeks, with multiple sharks being seen simultaneously.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Pismo Beach — On March 25, 2015 Ron Johnson, and several unidentified companions, were surfing off Pismo Beach. It was 9:00 to 9:15 AM and they were about 100 yards from shore. They had observed 5 � 6 seals in the area prior to the encounter. While looking out toward the open ocean he observed a dorsal fin, 10 � 15 yards from his location. The fin was triangular and was coming from the South toward the end of the Pismo Beach Pier. He observed the fin traveling across the surface of the water for 5 � 10 seconds before it submerged out of sight. Johnson and his companions believe the shark was about 12 feet in length. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On March 22, 2015 Bill Wilson reported the following;�A group of surfers, probably 20 � 25, were surfing at �The Point' at San Onofre State Beach when a shark, 7 � 8 feet in length, launched itself vertically, straight up, out of the water, becoming completely airborne and then landing back in the water, 30 � 40 yards outside of the surf zone. It was about 11:30 AM and the water was calm with a smooth surface and very little wind. The surf was small, 1 � 3 feet, with the water temperature in the low 60s Fahrenheit. The sky was clear with an estimated temperature close to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The shark could have been a juvenile Great White but did not appear to have the girth of a larger Great White. It was very spectacular but not many of the other surfers, excluding my daughter Emma and I, saw the episode from when the shark emerged until it landed back in the water. Everyone stayed calm with most continuing to surf. My daughter and I moved more toward the inside closer to shore but continued to surf for another 30 � 40 minutes before getting out. Other surfers and spectators on the beach, including �Mom's' watching their kids, seem unfazed.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Capitola — On March 15, 2015 Matthew Davault and Sean Walker were kayak fishing for California Halibut (Paralichthys californicus) 1.5 miles from shore and 1.5 miles South of Capitola in Santa Cruz County on the coast of Monterey Bay. It was 10:00 AM and they had been on the water about 2 hours. The sky was clear with a very mild breeze and an estimated air temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm over a sandy flat bottom 60 feet deep with 20 plus feet of visibility and an estimated temperature of 58 degrees Fahrenheit. Birds were diving on schools of baitfish at the surface. They had caught 2 rockfish that were released. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Davault reported;�My buddy Sean and I launched from the Capitola wharf by 8am in pursuit of an early season Halibut. The conditions were remarkably calm. A slight breeze first thing in the morning quickly gave way to warm morning sunshine. We slowly trolled bounce ball rigs out to where birds could be seen working bait balls which were boiling against the surface. We had just adjusted our trajectory so as to troll parallel to the shore line, more or less in line with the Cement Ship. Sean was at my left side, about 25 feet away keeping similar pace. I was focused on my rod, feeling the weight skip across the bottom in 60 feet of water as we trolled in silence. All at once there was a firm blow to the front of my kayak, sufficient to lift the bow up out of the water. At that same instant, on my left side, the water exploded as a shark breached through the surface. The top half of its back cleared out of the water. I could clearly see the head, dorsal fin and quite a long portion of its back as it made reentry back into the water. The tail was the last thing I saw, pumping back and forth several times, it kicked up a considerable volume of water and spray into the air, and my face. The shark tore back into the foamy frothy water it had just stirred up. Then it was silent, just as it was one moment ago. The entire encounter lasted all of one second. The shark had already reentered the water and was gone by the time my brain was even able to compute what had just happened. I think it hit my kayak with its back and or dorsal fin, not mouth. Perhaps a last minute aborted attack resulting in more of a collision than an full on attack. We rafted up for about 30 minutes but the shark did not return.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ventura — On March 14, 2015 Erica Gordon was whale watching on a commercial vessel off Mandalay Estuary and McGrath Lake in Ventura County. It was 1:45 PM and the sky was clear with a slight breeze and an estimated air temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with a small swell over a sandy ocean bottom about 16 feet deep. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Gordon reported;�We were on a catamaran with Island Packers, boat captain mentioned several shark sightings the last few days. He knew exactly where to go. He idled in shallow water and within just a minute, 4 sharks were visible at the surface. He said they were babies, probably born recently. Sharks were grey and 3 � 4 feet long swimming through the waves towards the boat. Both dorsal and tail fin were out of the water. They stayed in the murkier water areas. The sharks were just a few dozen feet from shore!� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On March 14, 2015 Reggie A. (last name withheld) was surfing at Trail 1, San Onofre State Beach. It was about 9:00 or 9:30 AM and he had been on the water 1.5 to 2 hours. The sky was clear with a light offshore breeze and an estimated air temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean had a slight texture with 3 � 4 foot swells with an estimated water temperature in the low 60s Fahrenheit. There were sparse pieces of kelp floating in the area but no large dominant kelp plants. No marine mammals were observed at this location. Reggie A, reported;�I was surfing near a group of 5 � 6 surfers, about 10 yards away on the inside. During a lull, I was sitting on my board observing the clarity of the water. Then about 6 feet away at my 11 o'clock position, I spotted what appeared to be a shark. It was about 7 feet long, gray and 2 � 3 feet under the surface slowly swimming alongside me as I held still. It kept its distance and depth (dorsal fin did not break the surface) and glided past as it seemed to be checking me out. Once its head passed the tail of my board, it quickly turned away from me and I lost sight of it. At that point I decided to paddle toward the group as they were closer than the shore and there was still a lull. I tried to minimize splashing and lift my legs out of the water. Once among the group, I mentioned the shark sighting. They confirmed that there were two sharks spotted earlier that morning. We stayed in the water for awhile waiting for the next set and I did not spot the shark again. The other surfers and I continued to surf a couple more waves, then I finally took a wave in to shore.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On March 14, 2015 Jason Meffe and 4 companions were Stand Up Paddleboarding at Trail One, San Onofre State Beach. It was 8:10 AM and they had been on the water about 30 minutes. The sky was clear with an estimated air temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was �slightly bumpy' about 15 feet over a sandy bottom with an estimated water temperature of 64 degrees Fahrenheit. A pod of 7 � 10 dolphins were observed 3 hours into their session. Meffe reported;�Five of us paddled out at Trail One just North of the trailhead around 7:40 AM. Two of the people in the group stated they had seen a shark during our paddle out. After that, someone would see a shark about every 10 � 15 minutes. I was on the water for about 30 minutes before I saw a 6 � 7 foot white shark swim directly under my board about 2 feet below the surface. I've had encounters with white sharks previously and there was no mistaking that this was a juvenile white shark. About 30 minutes later I observed a dorsal and caudal fin break the surface and swim South at a slow pace about 15 yards farther out from me. I estimate that shark at about 6 � 7 feet. Roughly 30 minutes later I observed another dorsal fin swimming North at the same pace. I personally observed at least 3 or 4 additional sharks during my 4 hour session. The largest white shark was 8 � 9 feet in length. The sharks were mostly observed beneath the surface or in waves; they all appeared to be white sharks and did not seem interested in anyone in the water.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On March 13, 2015 Eric (last name withheld by request) was surfing Trail 1 at San Onofre State Beach. It was 2:00 PM and he had been on the water 5 � 10 minutes. The sky was clear with a light onshore breeze and an estimated air temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with 3 � 4 foot surf in water 10 � 15 feet deep with an estimated temperature of 62 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Eric recounted;�I had initially gone down to Trail 2 because the Trail 1 parking lot appeared crowded. Immediately at the bottom of Trail 2, about 50 feet North, I saw a dead Sea Lion with a large chunk out of its lower belly. It appeared to be dead for several days. There were no other surfers at Trail 2 and it was somewhat spooky, so I walked down to Trail 1 where 4 � 5 guys were already out. I paddled out during a set, so it took about 5 � 10 minutes to get out into the lineup. Within 1 minute of sitting on my board 3 surfers about 50 yards North of me started yelling shark and pointing out to sea. I looked out and could clearly see the fin and tail sticking out of the water, about 100 feet from me directly out to sea. I was fairly tired, so I slowly started paddling towards shore. The other surfers continued to point to me and get my attention. The shark was swimming fairly quickly directly toward me and appeared to be about 6 feet in length. I paddled more quickly and the shark was less than 30 feet away from me when I last saw it and was completely visible in the clear water. I bellied the next wave in and got to shore, where the other surfers were standing. They said they thought the shark was coming straight for me. The shark never appeared aggressive, but seeing the dead Sea Lion 30 minutes earlier was enough to keep me from paddling back out.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Surf Beach — On March 13, 2015 Vincent Culliver reported the following; �Vandenberg Command Post, Format 4, Notification Advisory. Reference Hour 1844 Local. Due to a recent shark sighting on March 13th at 1745L on Surf Beach. The Installation Commander directed a 72 hour beach closure for all Vandenberg Beaches. All personnel are directed to avoid base beaches during this time. Beaches will reopen on Tuesday, March 17th , 2015.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach — On March 13, 2015 J.S. (name withheld by request) was Stand Up Paddleboarding at Trail 1, San Onofre State Beach. He reported the following; �A friend and I were SUP surfing at Trail 1. A guy coming out of water and said sharks were bumping his board and making him nervous. We went in any way as there were 10 surfers in already. Having got all the way out I immediately observed an 8 � 9 foot shark pass about 6 feet in front of my SUP. I caught a wave and rode it into the sand. Seeing my friend stayed out, I ventured back out. When I got to him he observed another shark 4 � 6 feet in length and we both caught the next wave in together. We watched from the cliff top as an injured seal, in the relatively same spot where we had been, appeared to be mauled by sharks as it tried to swim. It was a sunny day, about 75 degrees Fahrenheit with a 3 � 4 foot surf.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Montara State Beach — On March 12, 2015 Scott Dobson reported the following;�I want to report a shark encounter at Montara State Beach at about 9:45 AM. Three of us were out surfing at this time. We had been in the water for about 30 minutes and were probably only in 7 feet deep water as the tide was very low and the waves were only 3 � 4 feet high. The water was moderately murky brown with the sand being stirred up by the waves. My friend who was paddling back out after coming off a wave saw a large shark figure in the wave behind me that I was going to paddle into. He said he saw both the dorsal and tail fin breach the surface and made a 'darting' movement in my direction. He believed the shark to be about 15 feet long with a light grey dorsal fin. My other friend, who was maybe 6 � 8 yards shallower than me, reported seeing the large dorsal fin in the wave. He did not see the tail fin or the figure of the shark. Upon being warned of the shark we all paddled in to knee high water. No shark could be seen until approximately 5 minutes later when I saw what seemed to be a shark thrashing around about 70 yards out and 100 � 150 yards South of our location. I could not make out the size of the shark in the distance. Upon re-entering the water we were visited by a very curious seal who observed us for about half a minute. There was also a lot of mammal activity on the water this morning with small dolphins being sighted further out by my friend and a lady telling us she saw whales breaching in the shallow water before we got in.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Monterey — On March 10, 2015 Journalist Jason Hoppin, Monterey County Herald, reported;�Warnings have been posted at Marina State Beach after a surfer witnessed a Great White Shark attacking a sea lion on Monday. The advisories, which were posted by California State Parks, went up Monday evening after parks officials received a credible, though secondhand, report of the attack, which occurred at 11 a.m. �We had a beach patron who reportedly saw a shark come out of the water,' State Parks sector superintendent Jim Bilz said. The witness, who was in the water at the time, reported the shark to be 16 to 18 feet. Though surfers and swimmers aren't barred from the ocean, the warnings will stay up until Wednesday or Thursday. Shark sightings are relatively frequent at Marina State Beach, a popular surfing spot, with at least one warning posted in the previous year. Surfer Eric Tarantino was attacked there in 2011. Though seriously injured, Tarantino survived. In 2007, surfer Todd Endris was mauled by a great white shark at Marina State Beach. Endris' attack made national headlines after he reported being protected by a ring of dolphins while he swam to shore.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Santa Cruz — On March 5, 2015 Wendi Zuccaro and her Mother, Pat Brandhorst were shopping on the Boardwalk Pier in Santa Cruz. It was 12:20 PM under a windless clear sky with an estimated air temperature of 67 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was choppy with good water visibility and large kelps present in the area. There were 80 � 100 pinnipeds present swimming at surface, diving down and heading to rest and feed under the pier. Zuccaro reported;�My mother and I were looking out a window from a shop on the Boardwalk Pier when we noticed a large seal, about 6 or 7 feet in length, swimming at the surface. We saw what appeared to be a dorsal sticking fully out of the water behind the seal and to its right side about 10 � 15 yards. As the seal swam by us at the window, it did not seem to notice anything stalking it and just kept swimming at the surface at a slow, but regular pace, almost as if it was �cruising around.' When it passed by, the full size, shape and view of the shark could be seen following it. The shark was about10 feet long, first dorsal about 1 1/2 feet long, a grey body with white showing under the snout, black eyes, sleek but full body, very aware of the surrounding. We watched this stalking behavior for just less than 2 minutes. Suddenly, the shark made a sharp right turn heading directly under the pier which allowed the seal to continue on, even though I doubt the seal ever noticed its presence. We left the shop and alerted the patrol office on the pier who said they were going to send a jet ski out in �a few minutes' to look into the matter, but didn't seemed concerned at all even though there were swimmers, kayaks, and surfers in the area. That was at 1230 hrs. We left the pier and headed to the point to watch the surfers and noticed a large number of birds had arrived at the end of the pier and at the water surface and were feeding on �something.' We kept an eye out for the patrol to go out and look around. At 1445 hrs, they sent a truck out to Cowell's Beach and a boat to investigate the exact area we specified. At this point, all the birds that had gathered to feed were all gone.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Manhattan Beach — On March 5, 2015 John Koltai was surfing just North of the 45th Street Water Towers at El Porto in Manhattan Beach. It was 8:30 AM and he had been on the water 30 minutes. The sky was clear with an estimated air temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was semi-glassy with the tide filling in and an estimated water temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Koltai recounted;�I'm renting an apartment down the street from El Porto and have been surfing in the area all winter. I've heard of recent shark sightings in the area but haven't seen any myself before today. I had been in the water for approximately 30 minutes with three other surfers, just north of the 45th Street Tower. I probably saw about 5 seals before the shark sighting. Some were surprisingly close to shore, just a few feet out. I also saw a seal body surf a wave as I was paddling back out from a ride. While waiting for the next wave I saw the dorsal fin of a shark about 30 � 40 feet away from me. The dorsal fin was about 10 inches above the surface. I heard two of the other surfers around me laughing that the shark was following them around; apparently they had seen a shark in the area the other day. I confirmed with them that the fin was that of a shark and not a dolphin and when I turned around the shark with its dorsal still above the water began slowly approaching us. I waited until the shark was about 20 feet away and began paddling south in the other direction. As I was paddling a wave came and I caught a nice ride back closer to the 45th Street Tower. I paddled even farther south to 42nd Street to put some distance between the shark and me. I caught a few more waves and then got out.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Manhattan Beach — On March 3, 2015 Adam Snyder was surfing South of the 45th Guard Tower at El Porto in Manhattan Beach. It was 10:00 AM and he had been on the water 20 minutes. The sky was clear with an estimated air temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. There was a 2 � 3 foot swell over a sandy ocean bottom 8 feet deep with 6 feet of visibility and an estimated temperature of 62 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Snyder reported;�I live just up the street from 45th Tower in El Porto. As I was standing on my balcony looking at the surf, waiting for the tide to lower a little more when I clearly saw a dark shape of a shark swimming approx 70 yards off shore. I could see its outline in the wave faces as they passed. There were few surfers in the lineup. I decided to surf in the area anyways. As I walked down to the beach, I could still see the shark occasionally in the wave faces, so I decided to enter north of its position. I had been in the water for approximately 20 minutes with 4 other surfers in the area. As I was waiting for the next wave, I saw the shark surface approx 15 feet away from me. Its dorsal fin was approx 7 � 8 inches above the surface. I estimated the juvenile Great White Shark to be 6 feet in length from what I had seen earlier. I was to the north of the shark, and there were 3 other surfers to the south of the shark. We all had seen it. It was moving very slowly toward shore at that point. I decided to paddle further north to put a little more distance between it and myself. I caught a couple more waves and got out. I know many juvenile Great White Sharks have been seen in this area so I was not alarmed. I'm sure this is not the last time I will see a shark in this area.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Jalama Beach — On February 28, 2015 Cole Edwards reported the following;�This weekend a friend and I decided to drive up to Jalama, in Santa Barbara County, to camp and hopefully catch some surf. Saturday morning provided clean chest to head high waves. The weather and wind picked up by 11 and we were forced out of the water to wait out the wind and rain. While watching the ocean during our break I saw the biggest dorsal fin I have ever seen, emerge. While I was some feet from the water, my best guess is it had to have been close to 3 feet long and at least 2 feet wide. It only emerged for about 5 seconds before heading under water and making quite a bit of commotion under the water. I did not see a tail fin. Around the same time we noticed multiple whales making a lot of commotion in the same area. My best guess to the species of whale was Humpback or Grey. The friend I came with had dismissed the fin I saw saying it was probably an Orca. When I approached a ranger about Orcas in the area, he said they aren't present in this area. An hour later a man who was fishing 100 yards North said he saw something too large to be a Dolphin and but too fast to be a Whale also making a lot of commotion in the area. After reviewing photographs of Orca and White Shark dorsal fins I am positive it was not an Orca.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Manhattan Beach — On February 27, 2015 Will Gilmore was surfing El Porto in Manhattan Beach. It was 9:45 AM and he had been on the water 90 minutes. The sky was overcast with an estimated air temperature of 63 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm over a sandy bottom 6 � 8 feet deep with an estimated temperature of 61 degrees Fahrenheit. A small seal was observed prior to the encounter and a long board surfer had a whale come up near him followed by a shark. Gilmore reported; �I was sitting in the lineup in front of the showers at El Porto. A surfer ten yards to my right was slowly paddling away. Something caught my attention and I looked at him as a huge swirling hole of water popped up two feet in front of his face. There was some more thrashing of water but nothing breached. He immediately said shark and bolted for shore. When I got to shore I asked him what he saw and he said it was a white shark with a back fin that was about three feet in length. After getting out of the water, I kept watching and saw a pod of dolphins swimming swiftly. I also saw an animal thrashing in the water in front of the smoke stacks and moving north, as it was being followed by a large group of birds.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
In Memoriam — February 25, 2015 It is with great personal sadness that I report the passing of 'The Shark Lady'....Dr. Eugenie Clark.....a pioneer in the field of shark research and a friend.........she will be missed by all who knew her and all those that knew of her tireless efforts to conserve and save our oceans and their inhabitants........God Bless you Genie..
Dana Point Harbor — On February 25, 2015 Arthur Grant was on a Stan Up Paddle Board inside the breakwater in Dana Point Harbor about 50 yards West of the light and 20 feet off the breakwater rocks. It was 3:15 PM and he had been on the water 25 minutes. The sky was clear with a mild breeze and an estimated air temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The water was calm over a sandy ocean bottom 18 feet deep, with 40 feet of underwater visibility and an estimated temperature of 63 degrees Fahrenheit. There were short statured kelps growing from the breakwater rocks and more than 25 pinnipeds scattered on the breakwater rocks with a few in the water. Grant reported;�I launched at Baby Beach and was paddling my bright red 14 foot race Stand Up Paddle Board along the inside of the Dana Point Breakwater, about 50 yards from the light at the end of it where the Sea Lions congregate. The water was clear and calm. I saw a dark shape about two feet beneath the surface swimming directly toward me, head on. I knew immediately that it was a shark, and not a Sea Lion. I am a lifelong surfer; fisherman, free diver and professional mariner, and I have seen many species of sharks before, in many oceans. I was wearing polarized sunglasses and could see this shark perfectly. At the last moment the shark noticed me and rolled to its left side and gave a kick to get beneath my board. I saw its profile as it swam about 4 feet beneath my board. It had a dark grey topside which transitioned to a white underbelly; the tail fin was oversized. I estimated that the shark was 8 feet long, as it was more than half the length of my paddle board. As it swam under and about 20 feet behind me, I could clearly see it turn to the right and begin to make a slow circle, and it swam under me again, and then did so a second time. The body was broad, and the pectoral and dorsal fins also seemed oversized. I estimate its weight to be about 250 lbs. There is no doubt in my mind that it was a juvenile Great White Shark. After the second circle it made of me, it continued on its original course into the harbor, along the breakwater, about 2 feet beneath the surface. That was the last I saw of it, though I paddled around the area for another 30 minutes looking for it. I alerted all paddle boarders and kayakers that I saw on my way back to Baby Beach.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ventura — On February 23, 2015 Noah Liebelt and Shane Weaver were surfing 50 � 75 feet from shore near the jetty at the end of Dover Lane at San Buenaventura State Beach, which is located South of the pier and North of harbor in Ventura. It was 9:15 AM and they had been on the water about one hour. The sky was clear with a mild breeze and an estimated air temperature of 61 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with a 2 � 3 foot swell over a sandy ocean bottom with an estimated temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Liebelt reported;�While I was sitting on my board looking out at waves with the sun at my back I watched a shark suddenly breach completely out of the water about 50 yards off the jetty. The shark was about 8 feet in length with a sandy/gray color on its back. The tail was thrashing back and forth and made it easy to identify as a shark. I did not see any fish or marine mammals that the shark might have been chasing.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Manhattan Beach — On February 22, 2015 Brian Toal and Art Krispin were surfing El Porto in Manhattan Bach just South of the power plant. It was 7:00 AM and they had been on the water 5 minutes. The sky was cloudy with an estimated air temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The water was 6 � 8 feet deep over a sandy ocean bottom with 2 � 3 foot waves and an estimated temperature of 63 degrees Fahrenheit. Toal recounted;�My friend and I got to El Porto and he was setting up his camera gear. I paddled out in front of the water tank south of the El Porto stacks. Immediately I saw what appeared to be a sea lion pup body floating about 10 yards west of me. I paddled about 10 yards south of its location turned to look back and saw a dorsal fin then the entire shark, a 7 � 8 foot juvenile white shark, attacking the sea lion body. I tried to get GoPro footage but it did not come out. I paddled south another 20 or so yards and motioned to my friend who was about to enter the water directly east of the shark. I motioned for him to paddle out south of his current location. We stayed out another hour surfing. At a couple of times we paddled through entrails. I wanted to also let you know that there are stories of a bigger shark the previous day attacking a large adult sea lion. Art and I saw the body of this sea lion just north of 45th street against the rocks. Also, yesterday my girlfriend and I came across a headless sea lion body down at Burnout near Torrance Beach. This was odd to me because I surf there often and have never seen any sharks. What I have noticed the last few weeks is that the dolphins have not been as frequent down at the south end of the bay.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Cannon Beach , OR — On February 21, 2015 Chase Evans was Body Surfing the South end of Tolovana State Beach, which is located at the South end of Cannon Beach, Oregon. It was 2:30 PM and he had been on the water about 1.5 hours. It was sunny with a few clouds passing from the East and an air temperature of 65 � 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The water was about 7 feet deep over a sandy ocean bottom with an increasing high tide and a temperature of 56 degrees Fahrenheit. Evans reported; �I was surfing for about an hour before deciding to bodysurf at the south end of what is known as Needles or Tolovana State Park. I was in the water for a total of an hour and half until I came up from a crashing wave and heard shouting from the shore. I turned and saw a man and a woman waving and shouting. I wasn't sure what they wanted until I saw the man making a hand gesture alluding to a shark fin and they were yelling 'shark!' At the time I was standing in about 5 feet of water and waded my way to shore while I looked around behind me for a fin or any indication of the shark but I didn't see anything. When I got to shore I watched the water with the man and asked him if he was sure it wasn't a dolphin but the man said it was much larger, nearly the size of a whale. He said they saw it just behind me in a breaking wave. From what was described to me, it didn't seem as though it was after me at all but minding its own business. We watched the water for quite some time and I noticed after a few minutes that there were about 5 bobbing seals behind the breaking waves but there were no signs that the shark was near. Looking back, it seemed as though the water visibility was slowly decreasing throughout the day.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Seaside Cove, OR — On February 20, 2015 Todd Prager was surfing at Seaside Cove, located North of Cannon Beach and South of Gearheart Ocean State Park, Oregon. It was 8:30 AM and he had been on the water only 10 minutes. The sky was mostly cloudy with an estimated air temperature of 51 degrees Fahrenheit. The water was about 15 feet deep over a sandy ocean bottom with an estimated temperature of 53 degrees Fahrenheit and approximately 6 feet of water visibility. No marine mammals were observed in area. Prager reported;�I was at Seaside Cove for a morning surf session and took the rip current adjacent to the rocks to get to the outside. I had to paddle on my board to get past the last few waves, and I took a little break and sat on my board after getting almost to the outside. While sitting on my board, I thought something large and dark swam beneath me but I figured I was just seeing things. Then I started to paddle again toward the outside to get past the last wave or two and there were a couple of sea birds sitting on top of the waves. As the next wave rose up and lifted the birds, I saw a 12 � 13 foot shark, with a blunt nose, swim in the wave toward the birds. At that point, the birds flapped away and I was able to catch the wave and ride it to shore. I was the first surfer in the water that day and no other surfers were in the water.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Manhattan Beach — On February 20, 2015 Marco Palma and an unidentified companion were surfing near 26 th Street, South of El Porto in Manhattan Beach. It was 7:00 AM and they had been on the water about 20 minutes. The sky was clear with an estimated air temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm over a sandy ocean bottom 4 � 6 feet deep with an estimated temperature of 63 degrees Fahrenheit and 4 feet of water visibility. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Palma recounted; �My friend had caught a few waves on what was a small day, with clean sets. When he paddled back to join me, I noticed the dorsal fin about 5 feet South of him. I was about 15 feet North of him. From that distance it didn't seem very large, but in recollection we did not see a tail (caudal) fin, so I think that we were actually only seeing the tip. The fin itself seemed to reach about 7 inches above the water. It was dark grey and seemed to have some scratches. The animal didn't move, which is what made me think that it was not a dolphin as most dolphins that frequent El Porto and Manhattan Beach are typically in constant motion. I yelled to my friend that it was a �shark' and we paddled in. As he was turning to begin paddling, the fin submerged. He thinks that it might have started following him. Another surfer about 10 feet north of me saw the fin as well. He and his two other friends also left the water, though as we walked away from the shore, about five other surfers replaced us in the lineup. My friend mentioned that he had a small, shallow cut on his finger tip that was not bleeding openly.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ocean Shores, WA — On February 19, 2015 Fox News 13 reported;�A Great White Shark, about 18-feet long, is believed to be swimming off the Washington coast and feeding on Harbor Seals close to shore, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife said. The evidence is a seal that was found Thursday, February 19, on a beach near Ocean Shores, neatly bitten in half. Ocean Shores is located about 20 miles north of the Long Beach Peninsula's northern tip in Grays County. A necropsy was performed by the department in consultation with a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shark expert in California. They determined on Tuesday the likely predator was a Great White Shark. Judging by the spacing of the bite marks it is about 18 feet long. The seal found with its hindquarters missing was a female that weighed more than 200 pounds. Its stomach was filled with smelt, indicating she had been recently attacked close to shore. Great White Sharks appear off the Washington coast, as they do elsewhere around the world. Only two shark attacks on humans have been documented in Washington � one in the 1830s and one in 1989. The attacks weren't fatal, but the 1989 incident did occur in Grays Harbor. As a precaution the department has notified other agencies of the presence of the Great White Shark, including the Coast Guard, state parks, and local governments and tribes on the coast. Another seal found dead near Ocean Shores on Saturday also was examined, but it was determined it likely died as a result of being entangled in a fishing net. It did not have bite marks.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Oxnard Shores — On February 7, 2015 Dean Leonardi was surfing 50 � 75 yards from the beach and 400 yards South of Fifth Street at Oxnard Shores. It was 9:30 AM and he had been on the water 1.5 hours. The sky was overcast and there was a light rain with an estimated air temperature of 63 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with the waves running 4 � 6 feet over a sandy bottom with an estimated temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Leonardi reported;�I was sitting on my surfboard waiting for waves. A surfer closer to the shark had his back turned towards it at the time of the encounter. He was paddling for a set wave. The shark swam slowly towards that surfer, and a small group of surfers near him, in an apparent straight path. The shark was about 50 feet from me and 30 degrees off axis to my left. I paddled immediately for shore trying to get myself into turbulent water caused by breaking waves while minimizing creating too much thrashing by sprinting to shore. The triangular shaped dorsal fin was 7 � 12 inches high and there was no tail observed as it moved slowly across the surface. I kept looking behind me as I headed to shore but could not see dorsal fin anymore. Two other surfers paddled to shore at same time and we all agreed there was shark. Another five surfers stayed in water.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Moss Landing State Beach — On January 29, 2015 Alan Bairley was surfing the break near the jetty at Moss Landing State Beach. It was 9:00 AM and he had been on the water about 20 minutes. The sky was clear with a light offshore wind and an estimated water temperature in the mid-50s Fahrenheit. The sea was smooth and glassy with short interval waves 4 � 8 feet high over a sandy ocean floor about 10+ feet deep. Water visibility was 6 � 10 feet with an estimated water temperature in the upper 50s Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Bairley reported; �I went out surfing near Moss Landing Jetty in nice waves. I caught two waves in ten minutes paddling back out after each. As I was paddling for my 3rd wave and checking my position, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. Looking down, I saw a crescent shaped, dark, vertical tail, which was somewhat larger than the width of my surfboard (21.5 inches), connecting to a grey body that was darker on top than the bottom. I could not make out any other features as the shark was swimming underneath me, down towards the depths. There was another surfer in the water close to my location, who I notified, and we paddled in together. He explained that he too apparently had been �buzzed' by some marine animal, but could not identify it. Afterwards, we spoke with another surfer on the shore who had also exited the water when he saw a �shark-like shape' that appeared to be in a wave he was paddling for.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Notice — January 22, 2015 NEWS RELEASE Pacific Coast Shark Attacks During 2014 There were 6 authenticated unprovoked shark attacks on humans reported from the Pacific Coast of North America during 2014. All of the attacks were recorded from California. The attacks were distributed in the following months; July (1), October (4) and December (1). Activities of the victims were; 3 Surfing, 2 Kayaking, and 1 Outrigger. The Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias, was positively identified or highly suspect in all 6 unprovoked attacks. Only two individual's sustained physical injury, both were surfing. These incidents will be treated in greater detail in the Year-End SRC Newsletter. The boat incident in November in Central California is not considered in this analysis due to the activity of fishing, which might have attracted the shark to the vessel. The publication �Shark Attacks of the Twentieth Century� authenticated 108 unprovoked shark attacks from the Pacific Coast between 1900 and 1999. The Great White Shark was implicated in 94 (87%) of the 108 confirmed attacks with an annual average of slightly more than one shark attack per year. The 6 cases reported for 2014 brings the total number of unprovoked shark attacks occurring along the Pacific Coast during the 21 st Century to 83. This is �three times' the Twentieth Century annual average of slightly more than 2 shark attack per year during the period 1950 � 1999. The Great White Shark was positively identified or highly suspect in 73 (88%) of the 83 attacks recorded during the 21st Century. From 2000 to the present, 42 (51%) of the 83 confirmed attacks occurred during the three month period of August (12), September (9), and October (21). There have been 191 authenticated unprovoked shark attacks reported from the Pacific Coast of North America from 1900 to 2014. The Great White Shark was positively identified or highly suspect in 167 (87%) of the 191 cases. There were 8 fatal shark attacks confirmed from 1900 to 1999 and 5 fatal attacks reported from 2000 to 2013. The 13 fatal attacks represent 7% of the 191 total cases. Victim activity for the 83 shark attacks reported from the Pacific Coast since 2000 are distributed in the following ocean user groups; surfers 54 (65%) of the documented attacks, with 6 swimmers (7%), 11 kayakers (13%), 4 divers (5%), 4 paddle boarders (5%), 1 windsurfer (1%), 1 fishing (1%), 1 outrigger (1%) and 1 boogie boarder (1%). The number of shark-bitten stranded marine mammals reported in 2014 was slightly less than the prior year, especially in Santa Barbara County. This artifact might not necessarily be the result of a decrease in the number of sharks or pinnipeds but rather fewer individuals reporting these events to recognized organizations or individuals. The Shark Research Committee will continue to closely monitor these activities.
Manhattan Beach — On January 18, 2015 Jonathon Pickle and Ross Monroe were surfing at El Porto in Manhattan Beach. It was 10 � 11 AM and they were about 50 yards from shore. While waiting for a set they both observed a Great White Shark, 7 � 8 feet in length and very �girthy', breach about 100 yards from shore and 50 yards from their location. Its mouth was open when it breached �completely horizontal' to the ocean's surface. An undetermined number of surfers in the area also observed the shark's breach. They both said they had not seen a Great White Shark �that chunky' in the area before. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Humboldt North Jetty — On January 14, 2015 Andrew Goff of the Lost Coast Outpost described the following;�Attached to a personal dive float and with a 70cm speargun in hand, 23-year-old Martin Magneson was free diving on the channel side of the jetty about 50 yards out from where the rocks transition to �dolos' (a concrete block in a complex geometric shape weighing up to 20 tons, used in great numbers to protect harbor walls from erosive). Conditions were good; he'd snagged a few fish, which he'd clipped to a rope attached to his float that also tethered his gun, in case he dropped it. Magneson said underwater visibility was pretty good for Humboldt � about 20 feet. As he was about to surface, he glanced out toward the ocean and his peripheral vision caught a grayish/whitish object in the distance. At first he thought it was a harbor seal, as he'd already seen a couple earlier. Then he figured it out,�It was a great white. I couldn't mistake it,' Magneson told LoCO via phone, estimating the shark was nearly 15 feet. �Its mouth was as big as my torso, from my waistline to the middle of my neck.' At first, Magneson said, the shark wasn't aggressive � �It was just there to investigate' � and watched him from a distance. He wonders if maybe it had been drawn by his day's catch, still attached to his float nearby. Then it quickly came closer. As the shark neared, Magneson pointed his speargun toward it but resisted firing � thinking it might be his last line of defense. When the shark was close enough he poked at it. �It felt like a solid object,' he said, adding that his prodding didn't really phase it. Magneson pulled the trigger. At this point the shark was close enough to engulf most of the speargun in its mouth. Magneson released his grip when he felt the animal bite down. After untangling the rope attached to the gun from his weight belt, Magneson said he then pushed against the shark to get away and was struck by its pectoral fin. Aided by his three-foot fins, Magneson swam as fast as he could toward the jetty. �I don't know how long it took,' Magneson said about his brief journey to the rocks. �It felt like it took forever.' Once he reached safety, he looked back toward his float and said it was briefly moving, as though the shark was still somehow attached. Then the movement stopped. He contacted the Coast Guard to let them know his equipment was in the water. The Coast Guard pulled in his equipment during a training session later that night. Unfortunately his speargun is no more � only the handle and trigger portion, sporting a few bite marks, was still attached to the buoy when it was snagged.�The main thing I learned is to be a lot more careful,' Magneson said, noting he probably should not have been diving alone where he was.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Manhattan Beach — On January 12, 2015 Alan Latteri and Barklie Griggs were SUP boarding at El Porto in Manhattan Beach. It was about 1:00 PM and they had been on the water about 90 minutes. The sky was overcast with the air temperature in the mid-60s Fahrenheit. The surf was running 6 foot sets over a sandy ocean bottom about 15 feet deep with 6 � 10 feet of water visibility. Several dolphin swam were in the area and at least one Sea Lion was observed swimming thru the line up doing tail flips. Latteri reported;�I was surfing North of tower 45 in front of the rocks at El Porto. I had fallen in the water a couple of times and my buddy Barklie was motioning and yelling something at me. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but once I paddle up to him, he said that an 8 foot, �girthy,' Great White Shark was swimming North bound quite close me. I never saw it. He said it was just under the surface so none of the fins were visible. He said it was not the usual 6 foot juveniles; this one had some width and weight to it.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Ventura — On January 10, 2015 Maverick Carey and his friend Trent Stevens were about 400 yards from shore at Surfers Point, Ventura, located near C Street and sometimes referred to as Surfers Point. It was 3:00 PM and they had been on the water about one hour. The sky was cloudy with occasional light rain and an off shore ESE 5 � 10 mph breeze with an estimated air temperature of 58 degrees Fahrenheit. There were an additional 50 � 60 surfers in the area with an estimated water temperature in the low 60s Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Carey reported;�Trent and I were sitting in the lineup with my friend waiting for the next set when we saw a Great White Shark breach completely out of the water, about 10 � 12 feet into the air. The shark was 400 � 500 yards further out and was at least 10 feet in length with a defined line of demarcation between the upper dorsal dark color and the white belly. We did not see the shark breach again.� Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
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