Shark sighting closes two Santa Cruz beaches

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_13041078

There have been sightings of a white shark (maybe this one?) in the area for about a month or 6 weeks.  It's been on the down low till today, I guess.I hear it's a small one, only 10 ft or so.

Hope it won't come close Daven Port this weekend  

Dont worry. That 10 footer wont show up at Davenport.
 The 15 footers won't let him.
 Steve

A 12' brought in to dock, and sightings of another GW just a short ways down the coast couldn't get beaches closed in Oregon this weekend.

Dont worry. That 10 footer wont show up at Davenport.
 The 15 footers won't let him.
 Steve

That is too funny, but true!

The article mentions that the beaches are closed to swimming, bathing, and surfing...Does this mean they're still open to kayaking?

There have been sightings of a white shark (maybe this one?) in the area for about a month or 6 weeks.  It's been on the down low till today, I guess.I hear it's a small one, only 10 ft or so.

A discjockey at KZSC this morning said his friend was an eyewitness to the shark chasing the porpise off NB. He said it had the biggest fin he'd ever seen and it leapt out of the water going after the porpise. So it might not be the little GW that people have been seeing? FYI

it might not be the little GW that people have been seeing?

It is not as if only the ones we see are the only ones out there. This is GWS Central--outside of Australia and South Africa, we have the greatest concentration on the planet off our coast, particularly in the Red Triangle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Triangle_(Pacific_Ocean)). Believe this: there are a lot of them out there and, as with all predators, the biggest ones get the prime hunting grounds and there is a constant battle for supremacy (which is why I think kayak attacks are territorial disputes not hunting mistakes). Just because we don't see them a lot doesn't mean they are not numerous and not constantly watching us.

There was one particular shark that has been spotted a few times during the last 2 months, Matilda. And I think that's what aka-kimo is referring to.
Here's the story I saw on the local news last night, in which they confirm speculations that this was done by a juvenile white shark: http://www.ksbw.com/video/20378155/index.html

I launched out of Capitola a few weeks ago and the rental boat guru says, "if the GWS bothers you, hit him with your paddle."  I said uh huh, figuring he was just messing with me.  Glad that is what I thought!  Otherwise I might have been distracted from catching my fish

"if the GWS bothers you, hit him with your paddle."

Survivors tell tales of having done that but its efficacy has not been fully tested--after all those who didn't survive aren't around to tell of their failures