A shark’s tale… or not?
March 27th, 2008, 2:36 pm · 20 Comments · posted by Laylan Connelly, staff writer
Two great white shark sightings in Huntington Beach have been reported to the Shark Research Committee Web site, a non-profit research site that tracks reports.
Lifeguards at both Huntington state and city beaches said they have not seen any great whites out in the water.
“We’re watching the water everyday,” said lifeguard Steve Reuder. “We’re not seeing anything like that.”
However, a 5-foot-long injured Mako shark washed up last week on the sand at tower 5 in Huntington City Beach.
“It seems to me someone gaffed it,” said Reuder. ”People were actually going up and petting it.”
Lifeguards put it in the back of the truck. When asked of the fate of the Mako, Reuder replied: ”BBQ.”
As for the report of a great white off Dog Beach?
“It’s a hoax,” Reuder said. He said the area down there has been experiencing an increased amount of localizm, with wax etchings that claim “Locals Only” around nearby Huntington Cliffs. It could be surfers are posting these sightings to clear out crowded surf break, Reuter said.
The first report came on March 7. A surfer said he was on a 6’6” at Dog Beach near Huntington Cliffs at 7:10 a.m. He felt a jolt on the tail of his board, then followed by bubbles, which sank the board down in the water. He paddled in and had a bite mark on his board, according to the Web site.
Then, last Saturday about 7 a.m. at the north end of Bolsa Chica, a surfer noticed commotion in the water. There was a small whale, then he saw a shark swimming next to it. “It had the tell-tale triangular shark dorsal fin, was about 10 feet in length and had a top notched rear tale.” Read both of the full stories here.
The only time Reuder has heard of any great whites off the coast in the 32 years he has been in the department was when a mother and two babies that were hanging out down in San Onofre a few years back. Lifeguards believed they were attracted to a whale that was buried nearby, and named the two baby sharks “fluffy and bumper.”
I put in a call to the Huntington Beach State Lifeguards to ask about any reported shark sightings.
Lifeguard Sgt. Kevin Pearsall said there has been an increase of dolphin sightings – but no sharks. He said the Huntington Beach police helicopter does a fly by along the coast every day during winter and summer, and one of the things they keep an eye out for are sharks.
He said sometimes the darker-colored dolphins can be mistaken for sharks.
But he did give warnings of what to do if you do encounter a shark.
First, stay out of the water (duh). Then let the lifeguard know.
“Don’t panic. If they are in the water, just swim to shore,” he said. “But chances are, they are trying to get away from you, as much as you are trying to get away from them.”
He said in the eight years he’s been here, he’s only known of one great white shark off San Clemente and San Onfore. But generally, the water here is too warm for them.
“If there was one, it was on a random chance type thing,” he said.
Whether the stories are real or not – we’ll let you decide.
- Laylan
First of all, white sharks are known to migrate to warmer waters this time of year to spawn. They may not be feeding, but they are off shore, usually in deeper waters. However, juvenile white sharks are very simliar in apperaence to makos and are often mistaken. Even more impressive, I have seen a pod of orcas off Reef Point in Crystal Cove yesterday. Both orcas and white sharks have beeen known to harrase and feed on grey wahle calves who are also migrating, and can be spotted close to shore.
Just because lifeguards, who are normally to busy with themselves to care, did not see it, means almost nothing.
So some clown sacrificed a sweet little $1200 Aviso to keep people from surfing that crappy wave? Come on now…
This is nothing. What people should REALLY be afraid of is the Red Nigerian Banded Salt Water Marsh Snakes that are known to frequent the area!!!
you wouldnt catch me out in that water. Why dont they put up shark nets like they do in Australia? Its just a matter of time before someone gets eaten!
From the looks of the people on this beach most of the time these days I think im safer with the sharks.
I agree with McLovin and Yman. The lifeguards do not want a panic and summer is coming. Sharks are out there. Two of my friends have had a sighting. On the same posting on the shark research page it shows a photo at San O that a lady took a week after the bite on the board above. The 6 ft shark is a great white and it’s parents are out there somewhere. Adults give birth in So Cal in spring. That is a fact. To say that the surfer thrashed his board to keep people out is ludicrous.
why are you all making such a big deal about this? theyre tiny sharks
The Sharks beat up on our poor Ducks. Of course I’m scared. Send them back to San Jose.
The above comment is true. Watch out for the Sea Snakes. Sharks are nothing compared to them…..
Wow someone has an issue with lifeguards huh?? Did one steal your girlfriend or something…..Ya, people who’s job it is to help others are to busy with themselves….get a life, take a surf lesson too!
Remember the movie JAWS? wasn’t that about a cover up so that the city of Amityville would make money during the tourist season so they down played the shark? Well, somebody ought to send a copy to the Huntington City Lifeguards. Rueder say that the only time in last 32 years he has heard of a great white in O.C was a few years ago and that was at San Onofre. Wake up Rueder! Monterey Bay Aquarium caught their first Great White off of the coast of Huntington Beach in 2004! Whats that Rueder? You need a bigger boat?
You think the guards want more people in the water? There’s already too many barnacles floating around in rip currents with their jeans on. Beat it…
But really, has anyone around here been mowed by a beastie? No. Not unless you’re up north. Whites don’t have a reason to come swim with 30,000 people from the IE. They are too busy eating nutritious sea mammals. They mistake surfers for seals in areas with abundances of food.
The only thing the movie JAWS did was make everyone hate on sharks. Do you know what the ocean would look like without sharks?? I’d look like jw’s house without a garbage man! They are the vultures of the sea.
JAWS was for sharks what Gidget was to surfing. Read a book.
Whitey is that you? I thought you wanted to stay up north where we said goodbye on that overcast day? Back up where the water is clear, cold, and full of food for you to eat. Trust me the 909ers taste bad, go back home, or if you really want me to get waves all by myself this summer make an apperance memorial day and 4th of july weekend
I was suprised by the comments of the H.B. Lifeguard. He really played it down and made a purley subjective remark. It’s a big Ocean out there. I have heard of a handful of sightings of adult white sharks in close over the years although extremly rare maybe one or two per decade. I have a friend who worked for Newport Beach Lifeguards in the ’80’s and commented on a white shark feeding on a seal off the wedge side jetty. A lifeguard boat shadowed a large shark near the Balboa peir in early fall some 10 years ago. And heard a report of vessel assist towing a dead sealion carcass off the rocks out to sea for disposal in Laguana Beach just 2 years ago when a large white shark came up and hit the seal. I spoke with the individual driving the boat first hand. He stated that he thought he hit something due to the boat slowing down and rocking. When he looked back the shark was on the seal attacthed to the tow line. Oh they are out there, I just don’t think there is all that large a population of mature white sharks to be worried about
How naive is everyone? Hello! Between global warming and pollution who knows what is gonna happen with sharks! It is in fact THEIR ocean. You are just an uninvited guest in their home. Shark attack? Be serious! More like mistaken identity. They are not the brightest colors in the box and can’t tell the difference between a human and anything else. Every time someone prints one of these SHARK ATTACK stories, it starts a witch hunt! When are people gonna learn. We need sharks! They are already being overfished. They don’t need any more help from anyone else in their destination toward extinction!
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Ah, the Red Nigerian Banded Marsh Snake… very very deadly, very aggressive. Little anti-venom available - its essentially a death sentence.
Good thing nobody surfs those parts, really good thing.