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Pacific Coast Shark News 2016The following reports for 2016 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 for 2014 click here and for 2015 click here.
NOTICE � We have recently experienced some difficutly in reviewing Encounter Reports. For those that have observed a reduction in these accounts please know we have resolved the issue and will be more timely in our posting of these notices as received. I thank you for your understanding and patience.
Carpinteria On December 5, 2016 Peter Howorth, Director, Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center, reported the following; "I spotted an adult Harbor Seal this afternoon with fresh bites across its abdomen and chest, inflicted by a large White Shark. This was at the Carpinteria Seal rookery. The wounds were fresh and still bleeding. I estimate the attack occurred earlier today or yesterday." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach On November 12, 2016 Brian McInnes was surfing at San Onofre State Beach, South of the point at Trail One and 125 - 150 yards from shore. It was 12:30 PM and he had been on the water about 1 hour. The sky was clear with a light onshore breeze and an estimated air temperature in the mid-70s Fahrenheit. There was a slight textured to the ocean's surface and waves 3 - 4 feet with an occasional 5 foot set and an estimated temperature of 66 - 67 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. McInnes reported; "I was sitting idle on my board on the far outside due to the larger surf waiting for the next set to arrive. No one was within a 35 foot radius of me at the time of sighting. I was sitting on my board parallel to the beach, facing north when the shark approached me on the left side. It circled me once, within a few feet of my board. On the start of the second circling the shark's nose touched, or came really close to the tip of my board. It then continued until it was just off the right side of my board. I slapped the water to scare off but it didn't flinch at all and just kept swimming in a South direction away from me. After it swam by I didn't see it again. A paddle boarder came over by me and I told him about the shark and it's possible location. He paddled over in that direction and saw the same shark. He caught a wave and went in and I did the same shortly thereafter. I've seen smaller sharks in the 3 - 4 foot range in the approximate same area. This shark was at least 6 - 7 feet in length, dark grey color, and about 1.5 feet across. I've surfed the same spot for over ten years and have not seen a shark this big. The girth of the shark I saw was large enough that I felt it could do some damage if it wanted to and that is why I got out of the water. Smaller sharks that I had seen in the past did not have the girth of this shark." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Indian Beach, OR On October 10, 2016 Joseph Tanner, West Woodworth, and S.G. (name withheld by request) were surfing 30 - 40 yards from shore at Indian Beach in Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach, Oregon. It was about 4:00 or 4:30 PM and Tanner had been on the water about 15 minutes. The sky was clear with an estimated temperature of 70 - 75 degrees Fahrenheit and a moderate Northerly breeze that began to increase in intensity between 3:00 and 4:00 PM creating 'bumpy' sea conditions. About 30 minutes South, at Oswald West State Park, a dead whale has been lingering in the shallows for several weeks. Pinnipeds had been observed in the area earlier in the day. S.G. was about 10 feet from Tanner and observed the following; "I suddenly noticed Tanner slip off his board. The movement was unusual so I asked him if he was Ok. About that same time I saw, what appeared to be a large dorsal fin, about 12 inches high, and the back of a shark. The shark was grey and the back part that I could see was approximately 8 feet long. I do not remember seeing the tail of the shark. Tanner then yelled at me and Woodworth to get out of the water and all three of us started paddling towards the shore. It wasn't until we were near the shore that I realized that Tanner had been bit. He suffered bites to his thigh and lower leg. Tanner, a trauma hospital nurse, instructed Woodworth and several others, in using his leg leash on his surfboard for a tourniquet. He was placed on his board and moved from the beach to the parking lot were emergency personnel tended to his injuries. He was then transported by helicopter to Portland's Legacy Emanuel Medical Center." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach On October 8, 2016 Chris McSparron was surfing 100 yards from shore at San Onofre State Beach, Trail One. It was 11:45 AM and he had been on the water about 1 hour. The sky was clear with a light breeze and an estimated air temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with a 1 - 2 foot swell over a sandy ocean floor on the edge of a reef. Water visibility was good and the bottom 10 - 12 feet deep with an estimated temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit. There were 6 - 8 Pelicans about 200 yards from the lineup with Sea Gulls scattered throughout the area. McSparron reported; "I was sitting on a 10' Longboard wearing a full black wetsuit with my feet in the water waiting in between sets. I was parallel to the beach facing my friend who was 30 feet away. He was the closest person to me at the time. Out of the corner of my eye the dark large object appeared from behind and to the side of me and swam 5 feet to the side of me, under the water far enough so that it's dorsal fin did not break the surface. It was in between me and the shore swimming slowly and casual heading South and parallel to the beach towards my friend. I was in awe of what I just saw and to not cause mass hysteria, I quietly motioned to my friend to get his attention. I asked him if he saw a shark to which he replied "no, you're just seeing things". I explained to him and 3 or 4 others nearby that a big shark 10 feet in length just swam near me towards them. No one believed me or thought it maybe was a dolphin. About 10 minutes go by and another guy 30 yards further South in a separate lineup yells 'shark' and everyone caught the next wave in to shore in a hurry. One surfer remained alone out there for awhile longer. There was also a surfer I talked with on the beach who said he saw the white underside of the shark in a wave just before it swam by me but had thought it was someone's surfboard." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Eureka On September 17, 2016 Journalist John R. Ferrara with the Lost Coast Outpost reported the following; "Multiple reports were received about a great white shark encounter that occurred near the South Jetty. A local Surfrider Foundation officer said the shark bit through the surfer's board and wetsuit, but he was miraculously unharmed." The last white shark attack at this location occurred in October 2013 on College of the Redwoods English teacher Jay Scrivner. Additional information will be posted as it becomes available. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Refugio State Beach On September 1, 2016 Tyler McQuillen and Brent Flora were freediving off Refugio State Beach. It was 8:45 AM and they had been in the water about 15 minutes. They were about 50 yards from the point and 150 yards from shore. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 72 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The sky was clear and the ocean calm with a 1 - 2 foot swell over a sandy ocean bottom 10 feet deep with like visibility. No fish had been speared by either diver prior to the attack. McQuillen reported; "While swimming near the surface I observed a small Bat Ray bounce up off the bottom and quickly swim off. A behavior I had not seen previously when encountering them during my dives. Within a few seconds I felt a very strong pressure on my right foot and when jerked backwards with such force that I dropped my speargun with GoPro camera attached. My fin and bootie were dislodged from my right foot as I swam back to retrieve my speargun. After grabbing my gun I turned upward and was immediately struck on my left side by the shark. It continued past me and within a few seconds turned and came at me a third time, whereupon I struck it on its right side as it turned to swim off. I did not hesitate but immediately began swimming backwards toward the beach so I could watch for the shark should it return again. Once on shore I drove myself to the hospital for emergency treatment." Video taken by McQuillen of the incident shows a Great White Shark, 8 - 10 feet in length, to be the causal species of this attack. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Carpinteria On August 2, 2016 Matthew Roberts, Director, Parks and Recreation, City of Carpinteria reported; "The Carpinteria City Lifeguards spotted a 6 - 8 foot shark swimming in 8 feet of water at Ash Avenue at 12:15 PM today. This is about 150 feet from shore. The shark was seen by several individuals. It is reported that it swam directly underneath a paddle board and was observed for 20 - 30 seconds in clear water. Its shape and characteristics were consistent with a great white shark. The shark exhibited calm behavior with no aggressive actions. It was last seen swimming west toward Santa Claus Beach. The Carpinteria City Beach lifeguards are posting signs and alerting swimmers of the sighting. Carpinteria State Beach Lifeguards are being notified directly of the sighting. Signs will remain posted for 48 hours." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Carpinteria On July 15, 2016 Santa Barbara authorities closed Carpinteria State Beach following the early morning report of a Great White Shark, approximately 7 - 8 feet in length according to Lifeguards, feeding on an undetermined species of pinniped. Carpinteria Reef is the location of a pinniped rookery and haulout site. The length of the beach closure was not stated, although it is usually at least 24 hours, with officials having the discretion to continue the closure if it is warranted. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Bolsa Chica State Beach UPDATE Dave Minahan reported; "July 13, 2016 I spoke with a lifeguard who said they saw a 9-footer (White Shark) straight out in front of Tower 21 -- where I had just surfed -- on Monday. 'July 15, 2016 Lifeguards reported; "That southern Bolsa Chica State Beach and all of Sunset Beach were closed late this morning for the next 24 hours the result of a bather, in 4 - 5 feet of murky water with very limited visibility, being bumped on the thigh near Tower 28. The object that struck the bather was about 6 feet in length and torpedo shaped." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Santa Barbara On July 13, 2016 the following anonymous report was received and verified; "At about 10:30 AM two free divers were preparing to enter the water at Naples Reef, a shale outcrop located 1.6 kilometers West of Santa Barbara. The two divers had anchored their 22 foot boat in 40 feet of water about 1 mile from shore. They were going to free dive when suddenly a 14 - 16 foot White Shark appeared next to their boat chasing a California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) through the kelp bed. They observed the shark aggressively pursuing, splashing and turning abruptly in an effort to catch the prey. The shark disappeared and reappeared near the boat several times in the murky water. The dorsal fin was estimated to be about 30 inches in height." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Dana Point/Oceanside On July 8, 2016 Shaun King and Tonya Wold were sailing a 30 foot vessel from Dana Point to Oceanside, California. It was about 2:30 PM and they were in 245 feet of water. The sea was calm with a 10 - 15 knot breeze. King reported; "We were under sail off the coast near Las Pulgas near the US Marine Corps entrance. We observed a 5 - 6 foot Hammerhead Shark slowly swimming at the surface parallel to our sail boat. It was about 20 yards away and never moved any closer. We were able to identify the shark by the shape of its head and light brown body color. The dorsal fin was maybe 2 feet high." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Linda Mar Beach On July 5, 2016 F.P. (name withheld by request) reported the following; "We saw a big fin yesterday at Linda Mar Beach (near Pacifica in San Mateo County) when we were surfing a little North of the Taco Bell, with about 5 surfers in the water. We got in the water at about 8:15 AM, there was ALOT of Whale activity, blowing and surfacing all morning long. Many sea birds as well. It was overcast with the sun trying to come out, slight breeze and a little choppy. About 45 minutes into our session my friend and I saw a big fin on top of the water about 50 yards away. The fin was about 18 inches high. It stayed on the surface briefly then submerged. We looked at one another she said 'Wow that was big!' We moved in toward the shore and toward a small group of surfers and said we had just seen a fin. No one seemed overly concerned and we all continued surfing for the next hour. However we stayed on the inside during that time." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Bolsa Chica State Beach On June 29, 2016 David Chandler was preparing to enter the water to surf near Lifeguard Tower 23 at Bolsa Chica State Beach in Newport Beach. It was 7:30 AM with the sky overcast with an estimated air temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was glassy and the surf 2 - 4 feet over a sandy ocean bottom about 15 feet deep with 10 feet of water visibility and an estimated temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. A small pod of 5 - 8 Dolphins was observed in the area but no dominant kelps. Chandler reported; "As I approached the surf to paddle out I observed a juvenile Great White Shark, 4 - 5 feet in length, breach South of my location approximately 100 yards offshore and 50 yards to my left. I had not entered the water at the time of the encounter. The shark exited the water horizontally, then in midair, turned on its left side and re-entered the water. It was approximately 4 feet out of the water during its jump. I reported the incident to the lifeguards on duty. I then returned to the water and surfed for about 2.5 hours. The shark never reappeared but the Dolphins did remain in the area." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Carpinteria On June 21, 2016 Jeremy Wallop was hold a surfing instruction class with a group of children at Santa Claus Beach in Carpinteria. It was 11:40 AM and they had been on the water about 3 hours. The sky was clear with no perceptible breeze and an estimated air temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with excellent water visibility was greater than the depth of 14+ feet as the sandy ocean floor could be seen easily from the surface. Water temperature was 68 - 70 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Wallop reported; "Several co-workers and I were holding a surfing class with a group of kids at Santa Claus Beach, a beach break in Carpentaria. While instructing the group I spotted a shark. My co-workers and I observed the shark for about 10 minutes before we determined it would be more prudent to clear the water of all individuals as the shark was moving closer to our position. We cleared the water of all people as the shark lingered for 30+ minutes at one spot, within 100 yards of the shore. The dorsal fin was about 2 feet high with the shark estimated at 10+ feet in length. We also observed the tail of the shark" Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Corona del Mar State Beach On May 29, 2016 Scott Schwebke and Tomoya Shimura, Staff Writers Orange County Register, reported the following; "A woman was transported by ambulance Orange County Global Medical Center following a possible shark attack. The 4:15 p.m. incident off the coast of Corona del Mar State Beach is being investigated by Newport Beach lifeguards. Lifeguards in a boat on routine patrol spotted a female swimmer in a wet suit in distress. The woman, who waived her arms and yelled for help, was swimming about 150 yards off shore just outside of a protected area where boats are not allowed. The area is a popular training spot for long distance swimmers, though it's unknown if the woman was there for that purpose. When lifeguards reached the woman they found her bleeding heavily from wounds to her arm and shoulder consistent with an animal bite. She was conscious and talked with emergency responders. The hospital could not release specific information about the woman's condition, but authorities confirmed they are not expected to be life threatening. Lifeguards began telling people to get out of water following the incident. Though emergency dispatchers said the initial call came in as a shark attack, lifeguards were initially unable to confirm what happened. They also haven't been able to determine if another animal, such as a sea lion, may have bitten her. Lifeguards ruled out the possibility the woman was injured by a boat or other watercraft. Personnel aboard a police helicopter did not spot a shark or sea lion in the water in the area where the woman was found. A three-mile stretch from Corona del Mar State Beach to Newport Beach Pier remained closed to swimmers. Lifeguards will evaluate Monday whether all or a portion of the closed area will be reopened." Additional information will be provided as it becomes available. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Morro Bay On May 19, 2016 Alex Henige reported the following; "Today, I was out at Morro Bay Rock checking the surf around 2:50 PM, right before the tide was beginning to bottom out. It was pretty windy and weird surf conditions so I was just sitting in my car checking the surf, honestly waiting to see if anyone would venture out. While I was waiting however, I saw a huge splash out about 300 yards out past the surf break, North of the surf spot called 'the pit.' I had never seen a splash that large before and am pretty familiar with Whale activity as well as Dolphin activity. As I continued to watch, there was then the main breach. I saw a massive shark breach out of the water, but it was really weird because it turned so fast, that the tail ended up vertical, way faster than the head. Being that it was a good distance away as well, it was obvious that this was not a juvenile either. The shark looked massive, even though I was a good 1/2 mile away from it. I went home, after not getting in the water, to look at shark attack videos on seals. It replicated the same motion of a Great White going after a seal, but twerking as soon as it would hit it, so that the tail is vertical into the air." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Pacifica State Beach On May 17, 2016 Shawn Faske was surfing at Pacifica State Beach (AKA Linda Mar Beach) in Pacifica near San Francisco. It was 1:00 PM and he had been on the water about one hour. It was a sunny day with little or no wind and an estimated air temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm and about 15 feet deep with 3 - 5 foot waves and 3 feet of water visibility. No marine mammals were observed in the area during the encounter. Faske reported; "I was sitting upright on my surfboard looking West at the wave sets coming in. I was the Northern most in a group of 8 other surfers and we were sitting directly in the line-up West and slightly South of the restaurant 'Puerto 27.' Between some of the bigger sets that day, while I was looking West, I saw a large black object close to me in the water on my left periphery. When I looked directly at it I saw the entire length of the juvenile 7 - 8 foot Great White Shark very clearly just at the surface. It swam slowly past me due North, only 6 feet West of me, parallel to the waves and beach, at or just outside the line-up where the wave breaks. A small wave must have passed under the shark because I saw the right side of it in its entirety very clearly almost directly from the side and slightly from above. I saw its upright tail fin, its head, right eye, and its dorsal fin. It was definitely observing me as it swam slowly by. I stayed calm and moved to the back of my board, which was pointing right at it, thinking I would use it to fend off the shark if it turned towards me. It continued mostly due North slightly bearing East while observing my behavior. When I felt it had moved out of direct striking distance, roughly 9 - 10 feet, North/Northwest of me, I turned my board towards the beach, laid on the board while watching the shark, and paddled with long deep strokes back to the beach. I told the other surfers I just saw a shark on my way in and told other surfers on the beach about to enter the water that I saw a Great White Shark. One of the surfers I spoke with on the beach was out surfing earlier in the morning and was going back out to surf after lunch. He said he saw a huge whale out that morning. Besides the shark, I only saw birds out that day. No other mammals. I also reported the encounter to the Pacifica Police Station, as instructed by a city official who was at the beach." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Sunset Beach On May 3, 2016 Sonia Nicholson was surfing at Sunset Beach just North of Will Rogers State Beach in Los Angeles County. It was 12:00 PM and she had been on the water about 30 minutes. The sky was clear with a mild 3 knot wind and an estimated air temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with an estimated water temperature in the low 60s Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Nicholson reported; "I was facing out to sea between wave sets and saw a large white form jump out of the water near the buoy � inside and to the right of it � about 200 yards away. It came completely out of the water in an arc, presenting its white belly to the shore. The belly was whiter and bigger, especially much wider, than the Dolphins we usually see in this area. I asked the people on either side of me if they had seen it, but they had not. Not having had much sleep the night before, I wondered if I had imagined this, and decided either way, if I had seen it or not, it would probably be a good idea to get out of the water. When I got to the beach a man said he also saw it. The length seemed to me to be in the 7 foot range, but he thought it was more like 5 or 6. As I was changing up on the bluff, a stand up paddler asked me how the waves were and I told him about the shark. He said people had seen a 5 - 6 foot juvenile at this beach in the last couple of weeks." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Pismo Beach On April 28, 2016 Jayson Koski was surfing with Joel Bishop about 140 yards from shore and 50 feet North of the Pismo Beach Pier. It was 7:30 AM and they had been on the water about 1 hour. The sky was clear with little or no breeze and waves running about 6 feet. A pinniped was observed in the area prior to the brief encounter. Koski reported; "While waiting for a set a dorsal fin, about 16 inches high, surfaced close to our location. We caught the next wave into the beach. The shape and size of the fin was unmistakable that of a Great White Shark." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach On April 24, 2016 Ned (last name withheld by request) was surfing Trail 4 at San Onofre State Beach. It was 8:00 - 8:15 AM and he had been on the water approximately 1.5 hours. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 68 and 62 - 63 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The sky was clear with a light breeze. The ocean was glassy with a light wind texture to the sea surface over a sandy ocean bottom about 10 - 15 feet deep. Water visibility was estimated at 8 - 10 feet. A pod of dolphins were corralling bait and surfing approximately 15 - 20 minutes prior to the sighting. Ned reported; "I was situated 25 yards off the shoreline in a lineup of 6 surfers in the immediate proximity of the sighting. The shark swam South to North and parallel to the shore, approximately 3 feet below the water surface. The dorsal fin was not visible above the water, but the entire shark was easily visible and identifiable as a Great White Shark, 6 - 7 feet in length. It swam between me and 3 of my buddies and then proceeded North and swam between 2 other surfers' that were 5 - 8 yards away in the lineup. The shark was swimming at a leisurely pace. Once out of sight, we did not encounter it again and stayed in the water for another 30 - 45 minutes. All surfers were either sitting on their boards or slowly paddling to adjust position in the lineup." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Clemente On April 24, 2016 Dave Schulte provided the following; "A dead whale washed ashore at Lower Trestles just South of San Clemente and about one mile North of San Onofre Power Plant. A second dead whale washed ashore later this afternoon at San Clemente State Park Beach. Cause of death for either animal was not determined." Orange County Register Staff Writer Laylan Connolly provided additional information; http://www.ocregister.com/articles/whale-713433-dead-carcass.html . Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Dana Point Harbor On April 20, 2016 Bill Morales was kayak fishing off of Dana Point Harbor. David Strege of the of the Orange County Register reported the following; "While kayak fishing a quarter-mile off Dana Point Harbor, Bill Morales caught a good-sized Leopard Shark, Triakis semifasciata , that led to a very close encounter with a Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias. As he held the Leopard Shark, he was suddenly 'jerked backwards' as the Great White Shark began attacking his fish. Morales said; 'I had a camera in one hand and I had the shark in the other hand, and he was going back and forth. I had to move my arm back and forth like a piston so that it wouldn't just pull me over.' His girlfriend was in a kayak about 50 feet away when she heard him say, 'A Great White got my shark.' She admitted to being skeptical. Morales estimated the Great White Shark to be 8 - 10 feet in length and 300 to 400 pounds. All that was left of the Leopard Shark was the head, pectoral fins and upper portion of its body, as the Great White Shark got the rest." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach On April 17, 2016 Tyler Chapman was surfing Trail 6 at San Onofre State Beach. It was between 9:30 - 10:30 AM and he had been on the water about 20 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 80 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The sky was clear and the ocean calm with 2 feet of water visibility over a sandy ocean bottom 6 - 8 feet deep. A pod of 4 - 6 Dolphins were observed in the area along with 6 anglers that were surf fishing South of his location. Chapman recalled; "I had just missed a wave and was paddling back into position when what I thought was a 4 - 5 foot shark at the time swam under me going the opposite direction. I could tell it was a shark by the unmistakable shape of the dorsal fin and vertical tail fin. I kept surfing for another 45 minutes and came in. When I was walking back to my car a Canadian tourist showed me a picture he had taken of the shark from the bluff above while it was swimming next to me and it could be clearly seen from the photo to be at least 7 - 8 feet in length. There were about a dozen tourists on the bluff that also identified it as a shark. The photographer and I traded contact information so he could forward a copy of the photograph to me. After a few minutes a Coast Guard helicopter circled the area and several state park lifeguards/rangers drove to the area to investigate." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach On April 16, 2016 Michael Schultz was surfing with an undetermined number of surfers at Trial 1, San Onofre State Beach. It was 11:00 - 11:30 AM and he had been on the water about 5 minutes. He estimated the water temperature at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. There was a mild 5 mph breeze. Water visibility was good over a sandy ocean bottom 6 - 8 feet deep. Schultz recalled; "Several surfers, myself included, had repeated encounters with a shark at Trail 1, San Onofre State Beach. The shark was inside of the break, 20 - 25 feet shoreward of me. I estimate the water could not have been any deeper than about 4 feet in the area the shark was observed. At one point I surfed over the shark. Most of the surfers thought it to be 4 - 5 feet in length. However, when I passed over the top of the shark, which appeared to be a dark brown color, I thought it closer to 8 feet in length. The shark remained in the area for slightly more than an hour. When I left it was still present in the area." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach On April 10, 2016 Jeffrey Parks was surfing about 50 yards from shore at San Onofre State Beach, Trail 6. It was 12:30 PM with the surf 2 - 3 feet under a partially cloudy sky. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 67 and 63 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. Parks reported; "I was surfer in the water, along with 6 other surfers. A guy on beach started yelling at us, very excitedly/ frantically, to come in. We cleared out of the water within a couple minutes. There were 3 people on the beach that witnessed a Great White Shark, estimated to be 15 - 20 feet in length, feeding on something. There was a 10 - 15 foot blood trail and lots of water movement about 50 yards off shore. A surfer was maybe 20 yards from the location and didn't even notice the commotion. When we were all on shore looking for the shark, we saw a pod of Dolphins just South of us about 100 yards out from shore and moving North to where the shark sighting had occurred. Then we saw both dorsal and tail fin of the Great White much farther out than the original observed location, maybe 300 yards, and it appeared to be still wrestling or playing with something. Then it was gone." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Sunset Beach On March 24, 2016 Julio Felix was surfing at Sunset Beach, between Bolsa Chica State Beach and Seal Beach in Orange County. The sky was clear with very little breeze and an estimated air temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It was 10:30AM and he had been on the water about 15 minutes. The ocean was glassy calm with 4 - 5 foot waves over a sandy ocean bottom with an estimated water temperature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit. No marine mammals were observed in the immediate area. Felix recalled; "I was sitting on my board when I observed a dorsal fin about 50 feet from my location. It swam very close to several surfers that later informed me it was a 'baby shark' about 6 feet in length. I did not see any of the surfers go ashore after the shark swam into their area. Everyone continued to surf without incident." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Sunset Beach On March 21, 2016 Curzon Peier was surfing at Sunset Beach, the northern beach in Will Rogers State Beach, Los Angeles. It was 2:00 PM and he had been on the water about 1 hour. The sky was overcast with a mild breeze and a recorded air temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The ocean was calm with the surf about 4 feet over a sandy ocean bottom with a few scattered rocks and sea grass. The recorded water temperature was 57 degrees Fahrenheit with the depth of the water about 20 feet. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Peier reported; "I was scouring the horizon for waves when a shark, about 6 feet in length (white belly), shot out of water in its entirety, vertically like a rocket, about 100 feet from me and three other surfers. It splashed back in the water. We know of sharks having being spotted jumping out of the water in the area and thought no more of it and stayed surfing." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Sunset Beach On March 18, 2016 Michael Duffey and his uncle were surfing at Sunset Beach, between Bolsa Chica State Beach and Seal Beach in Orange County. It was 10:00 AM and they had been on the water about 1 hour. The ocean was glassy calm and the sky clear. The air temperature was estimated at 70 degrees Fahrenheit with the water temperature in the upper 50s. There were 7 - 8 Dolphins and 4 - 5 surfers in the area. Duffey reported; "We were sitting on our surfboards waiting for waves when a young lady on a Stand-Up-Paddleboard heading toward the beach informed us that she had seen a shark further out from our location. As she continued past our location I noticed a shark fin coming straight toward us and the shore. It was about 2 feet high. My uncle and I immediately proceeded to paddle toward shore. When we reached the shore I looked out past the waves and noticed the Dolphins were aggressively swimming and jumping around the other surfers that were now huddled together. I also observed several Dolphin lying at the surface in front of the surfers. They were very close to the surfers. It seemed like they were trying to scare off this large shark or protect the surfers." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Huntington Beach On March 16, 2016 Matt Moore was surfing near Beach Blvd. in Huntington Beach. It was 8:00 AM and he had been on the water about 30 minutes. The sky was clear and the ocean was glassy calm with a 3 foot swell over a sandy bottom with 2 - 3 feet of water visibility. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 65 and 62 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. There were more than a dozen Dolphins observed in the area. Moore reported; "I've been surfing for 25 years and have had 6 encounters with Great Whites in the past 20 years while surfing in California. Mostly north of the Golden Gate, so this isn't my first rodeo. I surf Huntington Beach every morning before work, either north or south of the pier and knew I was bound to see one sooner or later, being that group of juveniles isn't migrating. Therefore, I paddled out in between two groups of surfers. 2 were 50 yards north, 6 were 50 yards south. I caught two waves and was waiting for another set to come, sitting upright on my board, and was facing the beach with my back to the incoming sets. I'd counted at least a dozen active dolphins in the area that morning. They were scattered up and down the beach, going north, south, and into the surf; traveling solo and in groups; and jumping out of the water, and riding waves. One particularly big boil erupted between me and the 2 surfers to the north, about 25 yards distant. It displaced more water that a dolphin typically does, so I kept a keen eye on that location. Within a few minutes a juvenile great white jumped nose-first out of the water, upside down, towards the beach. This happened 10 yards north and towards the shore break from where I sat on my board. Since it happened in my peripheral vision, I wasn't looking directly in that exact spot during the initial breach, I was therefore unable to see the head come out of the water. But as I instantly zeroed in on that sector I was able to immediately notice the white underbelly and male sex organ protruding from its underside near the tail (long white cone shaped tube[s]). The tail was up and down (horizontal) and not flat (perpendicular) like a dolphins. I paddled over to the closest group of surfers to the south then caught a wave in. One guy witnessed the event." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach On February 20, 2016 Laura Wolfgang reported; "I was sitting in the line up straight out from bathroom 5 by the volleyball courts. It was a moderately large swell of 4 - 5 feet. I paddled out and sat about 15 - 20 feet South of the main surf peak. Suddenly a 6 - 7 foot beautiful juvenile Great White Shark torpedoed completely out of the water between me and another surfer. The tail was about a foot out of the water. It fell back into the water and I did not see it again. The only other surfer who saw this was the guy about 20 feet from me. A most amazing experience." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Santa Barbara On February 11, 2016 a juvenile Great White Shark, 5 - 7 feet in length, was reported by a Sea Center employee. At 11:30 AM the shark was swimming near the East side of Stearns Wharf. Per standard Santa Barbara City protocol, nearby beaches will be posted with an advisory for 72-hours. If there are no further sightings, the advisory will be removed Sunday afternoon, February 14th. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Onofre State Beach On February 6, 2016 Patricia Waterman, and an unidentified companion, were surfing about ½ of a city block North of the Lifeguard Station at Trail 6, San Onofre State Beach. It was 10:00 AM and they had only been on the water a few minutes as they paddled out from shore to their desired location. The water was clear and about 20 feet deep with the waves 1 - 3 feet. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Waterman reported; "I noticed the shark as soon as I had reached my desired outside distance. It circled me and my board, which is 9.5 feet in length. I balanced my hands and legs on top of the board. It circled 360 degrees when a wave came that I eagerly went for and rode it to shore and safely got out of the water. Another lone surfer was circled by the shark right after me. He came into shore about 5 minutes after me and my friend and reported on his event with the shark. It was a juvenile Great White Shark, 5 plus feet in length and about 1 foot wide." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
San Clemente On January 18, 2016 Journalist Pete Thomas reported the following; "A juvenile great white shark was hooked and reeled to a Southern California pier Monday as passersby, and the angler, rooted for the predator to break the line. The 6-foot shark in the accompanying footage (see link) can be seen languishing after being reeled to the surface at the San Clemente Pier in north Orange County. It's belly-up toward the end of the struggle before finally righting itself and breaking the line, swimming away amid cheers. Great white sharks are protected in California. Hooking them accidentally is not illegal, of course, but anglers are supposed to break the line once they realize they've hooked one. But juvenile white sharks commonly feed in Southern California waters throughout much of the year, although sightings are more common in the spring and summer. They're rarely hooked by anglers on piers, but there have been sporadic catches, a few of which became well-publicized incidents. In July 2014, a white shark bit a swimmer as it was hooked and being fought by an angler on the Manhattan Beach Pier in L.A. County. In Aug. 2011, an angler was investigated after hauling a 5-foot white shark onto the Huntington Beach Pier in Orange County. Closer to San Clemente, California, in Dec. 2013, a U.S. Marine caught and released a 10-foot white shark while fishing from the beach in Camp Pendleton." Additional information available at; http://www.grindtv.com/fishing/great-white-shark-hooked-from-pier-breaks-free-amid-cheers/#q7j9xcKO2bpJemLv.97 . Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Leadbetter Beach On January 16, 2016 Nick Svensson was surfing with his son off the point at Leadbetter Beach. Peter Howorth, Santa Barbara News-Press Correspondent, reported the following; "Local surfer Nick Svensson was surfing with his son off the point at Leadbetter Beach late Saturday afternoon when he said he saw a dorsal fin. At first he thought it was a dolphin, but as a wave rose, he could clearly see that it was a great white shark. It was only about ten feet from him. Mr. Svensson could see its tail at this point, which was moving from side to side. The distance from the tail to the dorsal fin was 5 - 6 feet and he estimated the total length of the shark to be about 8 feet. 'It was definitely a juvenile,' he said. 'It was less than two feet in diameter.' In a macabre turn of events, the shark started to nibble on a red flower that was floating nearby with other blossoms from a memorial service. The shark noticed Svensson about this time and headed seaward. 'I think I may have frightened it away.' He continued; 'At no time did it threaten me.' He immediately told his son then paddled around warning the other 12 surfers that were in the area. Svensson called the harbor patrol after his encounter, which posted signs at Santa Barbara Beaches explaining that a shark had been seen in the area. The warnings will remain up until Tuesday, January 19, if there are no further sightings. 'The warnings are intended to aid the public in making an informed decision about entering the water,' the harbor patrol said in a prepared statement. Warning signs went up less than two weeks earlier at Leadbetter after local sailing instructor Jason Burke was conducting crew overboard drills about a mile offshore. He stated that a great white shark he estimated at 14 to 15 feet long breached next to a life preserver they had thrown overboard to represent a person in the water. The shark whacked the life preserver with its tail." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Montecito On January 13, 2016 Kurt Harris reported the following; "At about 5:30 PM I had been surfing for about 30 minutes off Miramar Beach in Montecito. It was at dusk and I was the only surfer in the water. The surf was small and choppy with an estimated air and water temperatures of 60 degrees and 59 degrees Fahrenheit respectively. Most of the time on the water I was facing out to sea looking for approaching sets of waves. I would estimate that I was 50 - 70 yards, or less, from shore most of the time. When I finished surfing and emerged from the water a local resident who had been watching told me that the whole time I was surfing he witnessed a shark, evidenced by a dark shape underwater and obvious dorsal fin, racing up and down Miramar Beach possibly feeding about 5 - 10 yards from shore (inside of my position) in just a few feet of water. He said the shark swam in my direction once when I was sitting on my board but then veered off. He estimated it to be at least as long as my surfboard, which is 7 feet 2 inches in length. I never personally saw the shark but he showed me photographs he had taken with his iphone. The image in the photographs looked like it could be a shark and he seemed reliable in his description." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Huntington Beach On January 11, 2016 Susan Godwim and two unidentified companions were surfing near 'The Cliffs' in Huntington Beach. It was 11:30 AM and they had been on the water about 1 hour. The sky was clear with a mild breeze and an estimated air temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. It was high tide and the sea conditions were calm with the water temperature estimated to be 56 degrees Fahrenheit. An undetermined number of Dolphin had moved through the area a few minutes prior to the encounter. Susan reported; "My two friends and I were sitting on our boards when we observed the shark. It was traveling South to North straight towards us in an intersecting path. It remained on the surface until it was within 10 - 20 feet of us then seemingly dove down out of sight. The dorsal fin was grey and about 8 inches high with the tail also above the surface. We did not see it again after it submerged." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Carpinteria On January 8, 2016 Peter C. Howorth, Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center, reported the following non-emergency advisory; "I visited the Carpinteria seal colony today and saw one adult harbor seal with fresh wounds on its lower back inflicted by a white shark. I saw another animal with an old, healed scar. The animals were just beginning to come ashore as the tide receded. I intend to go back during a low tide when many more are on the beach to get an idea of how many have been attacked." Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
Leadbetter Beach On January 4, 2016 Jason Burke, a captain at the Santa Barbara Sailing Center reported the following; "I was practicing man overboard drills with four students. I was about a mile off Leadbetter Beach, Santa Barbara, at the time. I had dropped an orange life preserver into the water and we were making turns around it, when a White Shark, estimated at 14 to 15 feet in length, breached horizontally next to the preserver and 15 feet from our boat, a 34-foot J-24 sloop. The shark whacked the life preserver with its tail and disappeared." Burke saw the dark back and white sides clearly and was certain it was a White Shark. Burke has been a surfer all his life and has considerable boating experience as well. The Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol posted warning signs at Leadbetter Beach. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.
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