SHARK ATTACK!!!

It's really hard to come up with a better title than that...

On Thursday, March, 16th, after driving the kids to school, in Oxnard, therefore, getting a good look at the 'con in both directions. I made the call. “Mike, Rincon’s looking good, not too many people out” “Or at least pretty good.. Head high, with plus sets, and probably better than it looks.” His response.. "What about the sharks??" WhaT? "How close is that Seal Sanctuary to Rincon?" he asks. I answer in one word... "Close" I still wanted to surf with the added thrill of being really close to a Big Shark, but unfortunately… I had an emergency plumbing call, and went to Jenny's to try and fix her clogged up sink instead. Plumbing is dirty work. Not to be confused with the pleasure of fixing her fence which I rather enjoy... After two hours of dirty plumbing work, I decided, I would still, really, rather fix her fence, any day!

On March, 9th, according to Carpinteria City Officials.. Not to mention a Seal Watch Volunteer, and New Carp Local via Lake Tahoe, Vic Hypes, who both witnessed the brutal attacks, yes plural, Two Harbor Seals were killed by at least one GREAT WHITE SHARK! The volunteer I spoke to, said she had been seeing larger dolphins swimming through the line up, hmm.. well, seal sanctuary actually, at least the day, if not a couple days before. Not regular looking dolphins, she said, but darker, bigger, scarier looking dolphins, which were probably just BIG SHARKS pretending to be dolphins, knowing full well, that anyone who saw them, would never think twice about their dolphin costumes, since everyone knows.. Big sharks always stay way north of Point Conception..

It's also a bit unnerving that the attacks took place at 10:55am and 11:20am! These times fall right in the middle of the “Gentleman’s Hour” at the Indicator. A time where the dawn patrol has left for work, kids are at school, and the heavy drinkers are still asleep. A time when the seemingly unemployed, like myself, show up and check the surf almost daily. A time when you can get the occasional head high day with a half a dozen people out. I only mention the time because... Basic Shark Attack 101 states to worry about shark attacks at Dusk and Dawn.. Not right smack in the middle of the Gentleman’s Hour!!

Sidenote: The sanctuary is also home to a seldom surfed break just south of the pier smack dab in the middle of the attack zone. Check out my Archives for BIG WEDNESDAY and you can see the Buoy in Question. Even worse... The Sanctuary is just a stones throw from Jelly Bowls and Tar Pits in the State Park.. Anyway, this shark was too close for comfort. Period. I guess if I had seen this shark from the bluffs myself, my story would be even more scary and descriptive....

Here's a description of the attack by Vic, taken from the Carp's Local Paper, The Coastal View. "A bunch of birds took off out of the water, making a bunch of noise.. I turned and saw blood in the water and a shark fin." "I yelled SharK! Shark!" and most of the seals took off for the beach.. The attack took place at one of the buoys, which were put in place last year, warning to stay out of the protected sanctuary. Of course, sharks don't read, so this doesn't apply..

Sidenote 2: I have heard that they killed a great white already, though I don't have confirmation of this, since I just quit getting the News Press. I also prefer to write without checking all the facts out first and make corrections later. So… this is how I heard it! But, for the record, I am definitely against killing the shark, unless it is during hand or head in mouth combat! Of course Amity, and Carpinteria City officials didn't see it this way. Signs were erected, shark fins were spray painted on billboards... Wait, we don't have any billboards.. With the upcoming Summer Tourist season coming, something had to be done to save "The World's Safest Beach"

Vic took off on his bike to City Hall and reported the attack to Sheriff Brody.. By the time Vic returned to the Bluffs... The second attack had occurred.. Retired Dept of Fish and Game Biologist, Bob Lea said "Great White" A zoologist from the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History confirmed it. This was the work of a FIFTEEN FOOT GREAT WHITE! The identity was made though the bite marks on the remains of one on the headless seals that washed up on the beach.


This Is No Boating Accident!

I hate to sensationalize something as gruesome as a shark attack. But, according to a seal watch volunteer, I interviewed, this shark violently bit the heads off these Harbor Seals. Something they apparently don't do with Sea Lions??? Anyway, this shark or sharks swam by, really, really, close too home. In fact, from where I am sitting right now, in my comfy bed. This Shark was only about a mile from me. I paddle my skinny, flimsy, carbon fiber, outrigger right through there sometimes. You can see the attack location from the place, I surf more than anywhere these days, Rincon's Indicator. I can easily jog from the attack location up to the Indicator, so I estimate it to be only about two miles from Rincon. Unfortunately, I was in Mammoth during the time of the attack, so that nagging question of mine.. Just how close have I been to a Great White Shark will remain, for now, unanswered…