Updated: Shark takes bite on my kayak 8/28/20 Shelter Cove

Wow!  That's remarkable.  Glad you are ok

Whoa,,,,     Stupid Shark !         
   Great story to tell around the campfire now !

Scary stuff, but clearly well played on your part.

Revos have thick plastic in that area where it bit, and it still poked thru. What a massive bite!

Scary AF. Glad you make it back to tell the story.

Awesomeness is being ALIVE!!!  Great write up and I’m VERY glad everything worked out well for both of you 

My encounter there last year pre Open Shelter was right out front of the tides inn...it was only a drive by...   

Can’t imagine yours and hope NOT too!!!

Again GLADE your both Well 

 “stuff is stuff”

PS any teeth broke off in your yak???

Gnarly.  That would be a definite call for some whiskey.

Hi David,
I told you to go clam digging with me more 
No, seriously it's a blessing you're okay and hopefully hobie will warranty your boat.
Sorry to hear about all the lost gear and nice rods.
Thank God you had all the help readily available if needed.

Wow Dave, that is a scary story...
So glad u made it with no serious injuries.
Not ur time, I guess.
Good luck with ur healing!!!!
Scotty

-Sharks like yellow kayaks 

Yum yum yellow, it's a well-known thing in sea kayaking circles. Sharks also seem to have a sweet tooth for Hobies...

glad you're ok...worst nightmare there is...good job on preparedness

Scary. As a nube to kayak fishing I think researching online about shark incidents and kayak accidents in general was very helpful, and I’m not surprised. But it’s shocking when it comes from a member.

There are a few modifications I’ve made since. Not all of them are inspired by sharks, and many of them wouldn’t help in this case, but here they are:
1. Prefer a wetsuit over a drysuit whenever possible. If it gets cut, I won’t get hypothermia (by far the leading cause of kayak accidents).
2. Bleed fish away from the kayak and move away from the site. Yesterday I bled a salmon and attracted a seal that tried to get to it from both sides. I had to shout a couple of times to scare it off.
3. I have a mean ice pick that I use to ikejime fish. It’s leashed to the kayak and ready to use. Obviously it would be useless in a situation like yours, but sometimes you don’t get thrown and there’s a chance to hit the animal back.
4. I’ve taken the kayak to the surf to practice emergency situations. I also practiced climbing back up. Should have practiced capsizing & climbing too.
5. I have a solution to keep me connected to my kayak. I use it when wind is strong and I’m far from help.
6. I put extra closed cell foam in the hull in case a shark pierces it.
7. I have a special protection for my bilge pump to make sure it doesn’t fail on me when I need it.
8. I have a whistle so loud it can damage my hearing. It even works underwater or when clogged with water. It’s faster and easier to whistle than to fiddle with the radio.
9. I have an extra battery for my radio. My watch and phone are GPS backup.

I can probably go on.. but I’ll stop here. I know about all the anti shark solutions. They’re an overhead that I’m not ready to accept yet, but maybe this will change.

Lastly, I want to thank you for sharing and I’m really happy you’re ok.

I'm so glad you're ok.  I read your write-up via various FB posts and the Redheaded Blackbelt piece.  Excellent write up.  I hope the hand and other things clear up.  Thanks for sharing from all of us, to keep us vigilant and safe.  Again, glad you're ok.

Its crazy!! Glad you are OK! I was just prompt on my Facebook yesterday was my 4th year anniversary of my close encounter at Shelter Cove. Glad you are safe.

I can almost still hear you screaming across the water and over the radio. . . 

Glad you are ok and not in the maw, Dave.

You had good company and a great resource having 3$J there, super that the boaters were right there to assist as needed, too.

Thanks for sharing you story.

Glad your ok.  I wonder if anyone has statistics on what color kayaks are bitten most.
A friend of mine had his hand bit off in Hawaii while on a yelllow body surf board. It was a large bull shark. The bioligist thought the  shark thought he was a sea turtle because of yellow color. Good thing he didnt get bit in California the  DFW would not have considered it a Shark Attack as they assign intent to the shark in thinking that it made a mistake.