Sea Lion hit at Linda Mar 7/10 A.M. (non fishing)

I was standing on the bluff overlooking Linda Mar bay 9:00 AM when I noticed a sea lion surfing into the beach by the boat houses.  He was heading in & the surfers were heading out.  Later I went down to the beach & there he was in the corner by the boathouses, and he didn't look too good but was alive.  He had a big black bite mark on his stomach area with several deep gashes where the shark's teeth had punchered his skin.  Someone had already called the marine mammal rescue service.  Anyway, it's something to think about.

Souds like the "Resident Whitey" had a near miss.

last year, I saw a "headless" seal wash up on the beach - right where the stream enters the ocean 

I really think the land lord hunts the other side of Pedro Point - lot's of seals there  Yet, for some reason, I still think that Davenport feels more "sharky" than Linda Mar 

Good to know. They are everywhere...and nowhere.
 I think the more open an area(like Davenport), the more exposure something on the surface has, however when I researched my thesis (over 10 years ago, granted) every surfer had a "reason" their favorite spot was safer from sharks. It was either, "they don't like to hunt in kelp", or "they prefer deep water" or something else. What I found was that although certain areas were likely to have shark activity regularly (say ano nuevo) virtually any saltwater along the coast from Alaska to Baja could have a white under it.
I do think though that 6th sense does have merit. If an area one day just feels really strange, maybe there is a reason. Carlos Eyeles writes about this in his spearfishing book, and I totally agree with it.
For me personally, part of the kayakfishing experience is the "explorer" aspect, so I really like the north coast of SC, big sur, etc. and dealing with the thought of sharks is part of that.
I would like to get some additional flotation for my kayak, to keep it paddleable if it gets, um, punctured.
-Sean

well, mooch, way more attacks at davenport over the years than LM. including a hit on a sailboard going @ six knots off davenport.

I think tho, if you get away from lindamar the cove, all bets are off.

Sean,

I installed 4 large noodles in my kayak (Prowler 15).  If a shark should take a bite, the kayak will continue to float.  Here is the link (http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/bb/index.php?topic=3590.msg29978#msg29978) to my first post with pictures of the noodles, matching colors.

Luis

A few years back , a women who had been swimming at Avila Beach, Ca near San Luis Obispo was attacked and killed by a 15-20 ft GWS.  She was in about 8-10 feet of water.  A few days later some fisherman saw the shark jump halfway out of the water in the bay.  At that same time down in San Onofre there were 3 GWS seen right at the shore.    I believe the big ones are nomadic in a way and will travel many miles along the coast.  But then again we are more likely to get killed driving on the freeway

Good to know. They are everywhere...and nowhere.
 I think the more open an area(like Davenport), the more exposure something on the surface has, however when I researched my thesis (over 10 years ago, granted) every surfer had a "reason" their favorite spot was safer from sharks. It was either, "they don't like to hunt in kelp", or "they prefer deep water" or something else. What I found was that although certain areas were likely to have shark activity regularly (say ano nuevo) virtually any saltwater along the coast from Alaska to Baja could have a white under it.
I do think though that 6th sense does have merit. If an area one day just feels really strange, maybe there is a reason. Carlos Eyeles writes about this in his spearfishing book, and I totally agree with it.
For me personally, part of the kayakfishing experience is the "explorer" aspect, so I really like the north coast of SC, big sur, etc. and dealing with the thought of sharks is part of that.
I would like to get some additional flotation for my kayak, to keep it paddleable if it gets, um, punctured.
-Sean

A few years back , a women who had been swimming at Avila Beach, Ca near San Luis Obispo was attacked and killed by a 15-20 ft GWS.  She was in about 8-10 feet of water.  A few days later some fisherman saw the shark jump halfway out of the water in the bay. 

Avila Beach is still posted (up and down the beach) as a Great White attack site. You really take pause when you see the signs. And it seems that a large GW is sighted out there regularly since the attack on Ms. Franzman. It should be said that she was swimming in the vicinity of seals offshore in a wetsuit and fins. Under those conditions I don't see how a human swimming 'freestyle' offshore could look any more like a wounded seal.

Its not worth worrying about.

I'm more concerned about having a heart attack on my boat than getting bit by the man in the grey suit.

MolBasser

Saw this at the foot of Berkeley Pier two years ago. Looks more like a 7-gill sized bite mark that a GW, though. But I don't think a 7-gill could remove the seal's head like that. May be killed by GW or a boat and snacked on by a 7-gill? We'll never know...

Its not worth worrying about.

I'm more concerned about having a heart attack on my boat than getting bit by the man in the grey suit.

MolBasser

Would that be a heart attack IN RESPONSE to a visit from the man in the grey suit, or totally unrelated?

yeah i think the 2 biggest risks on my kayak are having a heart attack due to a shark encounter or falling off my kayak and dislocating my shoulder. 

As a 35 year resident of Pacifica i grow up surfing fishing and kayaking here. There has always been a few sitings and attacks on seas every year.there is a big population just around egg rock.
I always feel safer going toward the Pier when I'm by myself i never go to the other side of the rock alone.I do feel that my odds are better at hitting the lottery than getting munched by the man in the gray suit.

I think it was on this site a while back that someone posted something form the freedive list about statistical chances of being attacked as opposed to a car accident. I believe that what it boiled down to is that frequent freedivers in the red triangle area have a pretty good chance of having a shark encounter. People who don't dive, swim or kayak fish probably won't.

Its true.

Its like the lottery though.  You won't win if you don't play, but you won't win if you do play also.

MolBasser