The shark bit onto the leash of one of their surfboards.
“Holy crap, we were terrified because it was not backing off,” Sebastopol resident Timothy Reck told the newspaper. He says he and the other surfer escaped the shark aggressively pursuing them, but only after it bit onto the leash of one of their surfboards.
Experts, however, say violent shark encounters are rare. There have been about 200 shark encounters along the California coast since the 1950s, and only 15 of these were fatal, according to the. Fish and Wildlife pelagic fisheries manager John Ugoretz told the Press Democrat that the shark that chased Reck may have been a young adult learning to feed.
After Reck's shark run-in, lifeguards cleared people from the water at North Salmon Creek Beach and posted shark warning signs. Reck's was not the only shark sighting on Dec. 22 — another surfer, Nate Buck, also told the Press Democrat that he saw a shark in the same area only a few minutes after Reck did. It is unclear whether these were different sharks, although both describe seeing a 10- to 12-foot-long animal.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Caltrans reopens Highway 50, I-80 remains closedCaltrans reopened one of the two routes from the Bay Area to Lake Tahoe late Monday.
Read more »
DRAMATIC PHOTOS: Snow blankets Northern CaliforniaFrom Oakland to Truckee, snow blanketed the Bay Area and beyond this Christmas season.
Read more »
What's next for the Bay Area housing market? Experts weigh in.With a still very uncertain future ahead of us, what’s next for the Bay Area housing market?
Read more »
3 Bay Area counties further tighten mask mandatesThree Bay Area counties are ending mask mandate exemptions and fully aligning with the state order.
Read more »
COVID: Omicron case counts surge past delta peak in some Bay Area countiesDespite high vaccination rates, the omicron variant is causing a rise in cases across the Bay Area and beyond.
Read more »
Here's how Bay Area counties are handling high demand for COVID testing after holiday weekendChristmas is behind us but omicron is still a top concern, especially as we approach another holiday weekend.
Read more »