Looks like another gws attack again

Scott and Mike
You both have good points. I do believe that predicting that SMC will be kayak fishing's first fatality site is over the top. It's a big world with lots of areas that have shark issues and kayak fishing has or is spreading to those areas. Basic math does not support that dark prediction. Come on Scott,  claiming

their attacks have become more aggressive over time. Compare Dan's attack to Adam's attack.

  or

it's become an annual event if not more.

represents your opinion not facts in evidence

We had one attack, a year gap  attacks two years in a row and no so far two years without a BH attack.  Once again Capitola's attack  was in an imagined safe area (I saw it happen). Todays attack at Linda Mar is a lot closer to your safer HMB than it is to BH. The shark would have to swim its way past through HMB to get there. Also claiming increasing severity based on only two attacks, while not mentioning the third attack is really bad science. I respect you, but there are a lot of obvious facts you are leaving out of your claims.
 In todays attack the shark once again attacked the bow. If I had to pick a sport where there is a danger of shark attack I'd pick kayak fishing over diving, swimming or surfing. A sport where the shark attacks the kayak not the person.
Speaking of math, there are lots of variables.  If we narrow the  focus to our worst area BH,  and we assume those recent attack's frequency are not a fluke, and we make the jump to attacks at BH every other year, here is what I believe the math tells us.
150 in season fishing days x 2 = 300. With weather and work keeping us out of the water there might be 5 days a week where BH can be fished. That means in a two year period there would about 210 fishable days. Lets say that on any of those days there are between 2 and 12 kayak fishermen in the area on any day. Let's average it to 6 a day. We can quibble about the exact numbers, but I think this is fair and trending towards worst case. That means 1260 fishing days per attack at BH. divide by how many of  those days are yours and you get your odds  of having your kayak hit at  BH in two years. Multiply by two to get the yearly average.  Once again this assumes that the high frequency continues.
  Compared to driving where they say the average person is in  an accident every 10 years and that person may drive 300+ days a year, yes, the odds are notably higher at BH.
Let's just admit our sport has risks and that sharks are only one of them

It would be great if we had an article with all the up to date factoids regarding shark attacks & encounters while kayakfishing the different areas of the NorCal coast. Lay out all the data & let people decide when, where, & how they're going to fish knowing the potential risks & safety knowledge.

It would be great if we had an article with all the up to date factoids regarding shark attacks & encounters while kayakfishing the different areas of the NorCal coast. Lay out all the data & let people decide when, where, & how they're going to fish knowing the potential risks & safety knowledge.

You mean these?

http://www.sharkresearchcommittee.com/

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/statistics/gattack/mapca.htm

Who knew Monterey County had so many attacks?

No. I meant an article posted on NCKA written specifically for us NorCal kayakfishers.

I'm a little surprised by the relatively small size of this animal. Seems particularly aggressive for that size -- not that they're timid creatures, but a Tarpon 140 or 160 is still huge prey for a fish that size. Maybe I'm wrong but I recall previous kayak attacks (that I've heard about) have involved GWS at least 15' long.

I remember being startled by a small (10'-12') shark in the surf zone at Linda Mar once but later I figured it probably hadn't even graduated to full grown mammal prey yet. Apparently, not the case.

Anyway, I prefer the story about the cuttlefish attack...

mcag posted a link to the victim, Micah Flanaburg, describing the attack here:

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=2516.msg527008#msg527008

they interviewed him on nbc11

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Kayaker-Survives-Great-White-Shark-Attack-at-Pacifica-Beach-213088511.html

There are more attacks down there because there are more kayakers on the water more often. If more guys kayaked The mouth of Tomalas or Jenner you would see the same thing up here. I really agree with fishing with a buddy could make all the dif if you did get hit and cut up. The idea that it's just a matter of time that they figure out that there is a meal on kayaks is bogus. They are just huge eating machines only slightly smarter than rocks. Lots of small boats have been chomped on at Tomales over the years. The minute they bite down and don't get the sea lion feel they tend to lose interest. That's why they don't eat surfers and divers. If you can avoid getting cut to death on that first couple of chomps you are going to live. If you did get cut bad and knocked out of your boat it's a buddy that could save your life.

so from what i have gathered is that there have been a few people from our board that have been targeted (their kayaks obviously) but has anyone talked to them at length about how it came about and what they ended up doing to best "survive" the situation? i would assume hold on for dear life sort of thing but did or has anyone fallen in the water because of the strike? that would be my biggest concern is actually ending up in the water. i know the threat is real i know that if i get out into the water that it is a possibility but the odds are in our favor as far as the liklihood of it really happening what do you seasoned salty fisherman tell yourself to calm your nerves or has it gotten to the point now for you folks that have been in the water so many times that you dont really think about it anymore?  All this is leading up to my first salt trip with Rider and RockFish in 2 weekends so i am struggling with the mindset part of it. the physical aspect doesnt seem the issue it seems more like i am defeating myself on this topic before i even get wet. I have never been one to back down from something that appeals to me but then again this is a whole other ballpark when it comes to putting ymself into a risky situation.  I just keep envisioning myself as one of those seal decoys off of the coast of south africa getting flung into the air. lol

Scared dog don't eat^

fair enough. lol

As far as attacks on kayakers in NCAL here are the facts
Bean Hollow 2007
Bean Hollow 2010
Pigeon Point 2011
Cambria 2012
Capitola 2012
Linda Mar 2013

So 4/6 were on the SMC. As far as the probability argument, more kayakers fished BH from 2005-2007 on a regular basis than did from 2008-2012. It wasn't uncommon to have 10-20 kayakers out there most days of the week in 2006. Also, there are tons of kayakers on the water from santa cruz to monterey and sonoma coast but only one attack.

SMC is the sharkiest place in NCAL because of it's proximity to Ano Nuevo.  There are resident white sharks there year round.

We all fish the red triangle and are in play every time we fish. However, Some places are sharkier within the triangle than others. SMC is the epicenter of shark attacks because of the seals and kayak activity. The sharks of SMC have have habituated to kayaks because of the number of kayakers. There WILL be a fatal attack on a kayaker and it WILL happen on the SMC first. This is not trying to scare folks, but to make sure you understand the risk you are undertaking. HMB is the only safe location on the SMC but even HMB is not entirely safe.

I completely agree with Scott on this one.  I am in disbelief every time there's hook up along the SMC coast.  You people are putting yourself at risk and your family's too every time you go out there.  The loved ones you leave behind in the morning before you head off are also affected if something bad happens to you.  Just my opinion since I've been there.  Cockiness gets in you trouble.  Don't invite other people to join you.

SMC?

SMC?

San Mateo Coast