Shark attack at Bean Hollow - 7/21/07

Another tip is too have is have a big bowie knife.  I have a few 15" (total lenght).  I duct tape that to my lower leg.  Great for cutting braid.  But, if I get bumped from Mr. or Mrs. Shark.  I can get a few swings in before the end might be near.  At least, think is what I think.

Ken kickfish

  Go get Em Quint!!!!!   

did he actually get knocked off the yak by the shark twice

I was talking to Dan and he said he had no fish or feet in the water, and had stopped to change a lure when he got knocked out of the kayak the first time.  He came up to see the shark chomping on the bow of his kayak and he wasn't sure if he should try to reenter at that point.  Eventually he tried but his seat was all messed up and he therefore fell out after his first reentry.  Fortunately, the LandLord had apparently lost interest by then.

They didn't look like your normal scratches.    These were vertical and deep

Have someone who knows verify the nature of these scratches.  Seems like it would be good to know if another kayak got hit at Bean in less than a month.

Another tip is too have is have a big bowie knife

Does anyone know what sharks do if you fire a flare in their mouth?

Dan,
I just heard via a WSK email. Wow! Glad to hear you are okay! Sounds like you held up well and did the right things under the stress and pressure.
Let's hope this was your "lightning strike" and it doesn't strike twice. One of these days, I'll have time to fish again and I'll be glad to see you red Hobie still out there with me.

Reality check:
As long as kayak fishers keep fishing the Red Triangle, this is going to happen however infrequently.
Just like the Grizzly, who every once in a while takes on campers in his domain to defend it, the GWS, as a territorial apex predator, will do so in his. I guess we can take comfort in the rarity of the event--but that's no consolation to the rare individual who "wins" the lottery. Let's hope the sharks keep their focus on the kayak (which is likely since they see it as the interloping animal) and not the kayaker.

Glad you came through unscathed. A kayak is a small cost to pay in the end.
Man I miss fishing with you all. Just no time with job and family these days.

Daniel

I was on the bay outside Santa Cuz today. I have to admit that I didn't dangle my feet in the water for more than a few seconds at a time!

SCARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Glad you are safe!!!! 

Chris

Another tip is too have is have a big bowie knife.  I have a few 15" (total lenght).  I duct tape that to my lower leg.  Great for cutting braid.  But, if I get bumped from Mr. or Mrs. Shark.  I can get a few swings in before the end might be near.  At least, think is what I think.
Ken kickfish

Does anyone know what sharks do if you fire a flare in their mouth?

Before we all start getting into our "strategies" about how to inflict damage upon the GWS lets all realize how rare the attack will be and on top of that, that 9 out of 10 times the shark will hit and be gone. Preparing on how to get back to shore (re-entry, radio calls etc.) are much more important. We're the intruders floating around in their territory so let's have some respect for them. If it was life and death I would of course defend myself but I'd hate to hear escalating macho talk about how to maim a GWS.

Dan did a great job and let's all follow his lead.

Z

Z,

I think it is better to be prepared than not.  No one can defend yourself better than yourself.  Even if the next guy is ten feet away from you.  It may not help.  I don't go looking for trouble.  But, if it comes looking for me.  I will be prepared.  It not being Macho.  It just realizing that you are not at the top of the food chain out there.

Ken kickfish

"see what I mean"

nseal,

Are you a real person or just someone with nothing to say?

Ken kickfish

I think Zeelander has it right--the attacks are unexpected, swift, and short. While I think you may derive some sense of security in your preparation and feel more at ease that is likely to be the only benefit you'll derive from it. If the time comes you'll never see it coming and you won't have the time to do much but try to scramble back in your boat in terror.

Great White Sharks are territorial apex predators. I have read some research that finds a difference between surfer and kayak attacks and their usual Sea Lion preying. The typical attack on a Sea lion is one bite and then retreat to let it bleed out before returning to feast. Why then do these sharks latch on to a kayak and keep biting? Surely, having been honed to perfection over the millenia, they cannot be mistaking a plastic boat for Sea Lion. No taste of salt and blood which we all know makes Bass bite down on scented plastics harder--and spit a hard lure with no taste in the blink of an eye. Surely a GWs is not less sophisticated than a Black Bass.. And they don't retreat after the first bite. So I conclude, as do some researchers, that they are not attacking a Sea Lion--they are warding off a poacher on their territory. They don't intend to eat the poacher--just drive it off. Hence the harrassing bites. That is why the surfers an kayaker aren't harmed directly though they can be collaterally--they aren't the focus of the attack at all.

If my amateur conclusion is correct, then there is little one can do to avoid attack. Dan didn't have fish or feet in the water. I believe it was his mere presence in the territory that provoked the strike. It is like hiking in Grizzly country--attacks are rare and unprovoked--but sudden, unexpected, and violent. I have a friend who was Antelope hunting in Montana when he double-backed on his tracks to find a Grizzly was tracking him! Needless to say he vamoosed.

The problem with the GWS is no tracks, no trail, and no warning. Fortunately, GWS are rare and their territory is large. Most kayakers never see one let alone clash with one. You have better odds being seriously injured driving to and from your kayak trip than by a GWS once there. I do admit it is pretty scary thinking they are out there below you. You wonder how many times they've eyed you and passed on you as not a meal or a threat. Avoid the Red Triangle to be a bit safer. It is all a calculated risk in any event. You pick you level of risk and deal with the consequences.

Let's be glad Dan came through safe and sound and let's hope the next person does. There will be a a next one as sure as Great Whites rule the seas and we kayak them. Our encounters are inevitable--let's hope they continue to be non-fatal.

Frank,
You got it all wrong.  I have read and reread my post and yours and was trying to determine what I wrote that prompted you to get upset.  The only conclusion that I could sum up was the fact that I had erroneously mistaken you as a newbie in my post when in fact you are definitely not (been lurking this site long enough to know that you are not).  The newbies (or should I say beginner kayak fishermen so not to offend anyone) that I was referring to in my post were myself, Andy, Bill (very experienced fly fisherman from SF, however first time out of BH) and Ty, all of whom were fishing close to Dan.  I have never met you in person yet and I am sure you were one of the 6-8 kayakers within the proximity.   My apology for inadvertently included you as one of the “newbies”.  My intention of the post was to share with everyone on what I saw and not to blame or point any fingers or expect any “veterans to come and save the day”.  The mentioning of where everyone was fishing was just that and nothing more. 
I couldn’t agree with you and with everyone on the importance of prerequisites and safety (dressed appropriately, right gears, fishing buddies, self rescue and other training, etc) and NCKA website has done a great job in many of these areas, especially in helping me rigged my kayak. However it does not stress so much on the safety issues for beginners (or at least I have not seen any articles on them).  I and most of everyone know common sense tells one to get trained/prepared as much as possible so not to put oneself and others at risk.  The truth is not many beginners are taking this seriously until it becomes a reality.  I am one of them and am guilty for thinking that I don’t really need it since I consider myself a strong swimmer (high school varsity swim team).  It took me a while to gather enough courage for my first outing at ARW.  Prior to this, I have purchased and watched a couple of kayaking videos, i.e Performance Sea Kayaking; just never hit the lake to actually try the self rescuing technique yet but it has been on my mind since day 1.  Gary, the Sandman, did a great job in slowly introduced me to the sports.  The Sandman gave me many good pointers on how to launch and land (there is a “science” to it as Gary puts it) and on moving about on a kayak.
Sorry to take so much of everyone’s time on this little misunderstanding and for diverting from the main topic.  Happy kayaking and I lalso ook forward to meeting and paddling with you too in the future.

SAL

SAL,
Practice that rescue.
Practice navigating in fog.
Practice surf launching and landing.
Practice it all.

By the time you need it, it's too late to practice.
You life or someone's nay hang in the balance.

Seriously. Ocean kayaking is a serious undertaking but can be very rewarding.
Just keep safety always in your mind with every decision.
Other than that, don't forget to have fun.

Oh, and welcome to the sport

Wow! Glad it was just your yak and not you Bill. That's kinda close to home. I was just diving there on Wednesday...
Way to keep your cool.

thats it, im gonna cut my kayak into a more rectangle shape as opposed to a long seal shape. how am i supposed to go out freediving off my kayak after this? the shark would think it was a 2 for one deal if it saw me dangling my feet off the kayak with fins on getting ready to plop in.