Surf Beach Shark Attack: The Final Word
Impressive and Controversial Bite Marks
Our breaking news report on a Surf Beach shark attack has been quite the saga at The Fear Beneath; the original details we published from a misleading email were called into question, and a series of follow-up communications resulted in what we now believe to be the truth of the matter.
The story has now been picked up and covered by KSBY 6 Action News, MSNBC, Vandenberg Base news, The Santa Maria Times, The Shark Research Committee, Surf There Now, Swim At Your Own Risk, and a number of other shark industry sites.
We’d like to put an end to this matter in the best interests of all parties involved, and because I think everyone agrees the issue has been thoroughly exhausted. What follows is the official report from none other than Kyle (Last Name Withheld) (shark attack victim) himself:
I was surfing alone and a pod of dolphins cruzed thru and about a minute later I was hit from the back (tail of board) and lifted out of the water. I looked eye to eye with this shark as it passed me with my board in it’s mouth, as it thrashed around I assume to spit my board out it’s tail hit me and basically disappeared.
Call me a pussy but I’ve never been so scared in my life. That is the third shark I’ve seen there and second in the last month.
Kyle
The Fear Beneath would like to thank Kyle for stepping forward and clarifying the matter (we’re all glad he is alright;) as our newsroom strives for fairness and objectivity, The Fear Beneath hopes that we’ve reported the story to the satisfaction of our readers and the involved parties.
You guys are ridiculous, your assumptions and uneducated comments about Great White Sharks are ludicrous. They are an amazing, calculated, and cautious predator. They are not man eaters and spend 85% of their life’s in the open ocean. When they do swim along the surf line, it is to rest and absorb the high levels of oxygen that are churned up by the surf. A 16 foot animal can NOT SWIM IN A KELP FOREST, around yes. And if they really were a menace to the ocean they would NOT be protected and there would be far more attacks on people. The Great White Sharks on the North American Coast are the largest in the world, they EAT ELEPHANT SEALS, which are 2000 pound + pieces of fat, they do not eat boney pieces of s**t like you. I repeat if we were on their menu, there would be a lot more dead surfer, but magically there is not, I wonder why. Great White Sharks are a magnificent animals that command respect, much is still unknown about them, but there is a great deal we have researched and know, I will not explain any further on this forum for fear that it will fall on deaf ears. If you really do have a fear of sharks because of ignorance or fear from movies (same thing), I suggest learning to scuba dive and actually sticking your head underwater to see what is going on down there. See how depleted our oceans are from fishing and polluting and how scarce sharks really are. Take a trip to the Channel Islands and see for yourself. You will also see how humans have depleted and abused the oceans resources and how vulnerable the ecosystem is. We hold the balance of the ocean at our fingertips, with our decisions to recycle or litter, to eat fish from dredge net fishermen, and to dump our waste in the ocean. Finally if I ever see someone hunting a Great White Shark, I can promise I will do the same to you.
Surf beach is an incredibly dangerous place to surf, not because of the sharks, but because it gets downright crazy out there with underswells and such. I can’t believe people go out there.
When my friends and I drive by surf beach on the way to more rewarding surf areas we will be thinking about this hoax for sure! There has been great whites in the water since before humans were here and my friends and I have been surfing them for 40 plus years and never been attacked, so I doubt if we will worry much about it DC in the future because of pranksters. If I were you its my friends in the blue or green suits on shore that I would worry more about. So when you take your stand…..make sure its with hands together behind your back so we can cuff them and haul you off to jail. Then the kooks can enjoy the time out in the water with Whitey! Cya in the surf Zone OG!!!
For all those people that say, they think this is a hoax, I can bet if you ever go out at Surf beach your gonna be thinking about the man in the gray suit more now then ever. As for the J-Boys, Jalama has been taken over by the kooks of LA and SB so take a stand like what we did in the 80’s and 90’s out there. OG J-Boy for life!!
Dear Anonymous, It was stated that kyle had seen the great white sharks on 3 occaisions in a one month span of time where he was surfing. Now I certainly don’t know any surfers that would surf this spot so soon after seeing the sharks this many times there. Wouldn’t that act be a little questionable in your reasonable mind?
Your question about me surfing again the spot where I had just seen on 3 occaisions in as many weeks a large great white is no I would not go out at that spot till I thought the sharks were no longer a problem which would be months and not days. I would surf another spot with fewer great white spottings. I have surfed plenty of breaks where large sharks are known to frequent, just not when they are known to be there at the time like Kyle! The reason why I even question this report is because of the bite mark photo posted with the article. For the great white to have bitten the board in the manner descibed and shown by the photo and not left more damage to the board and especially fins is nearly impossible in my judgement. Dear Anonymous would you go right back out into the water at your favorite break after seeing a large great white shark there 3 times in the past 4 weeks? Wouldn’t you think this would be a little silly? Kinda like baiting the water?
J-boys…no homosexual reference. It’s the local Jalama crew.
What is it with the multiple references to “J Boys”?
Where I am from, saying you were part of the “J Boys” meant you were professing your desire to partake in homosexual group sex situations without protection but with anonymity. Many speculated that “J” stood for “jizz” (i.e. J Boys = Jizz Boys).
I understand that we have J Boys here but I also understand that we have women and children who check the site. How about some common decency and respect towards those of us who may not support the J Boy lifestyle ! Thank you.
To Jimmy Creek-In all of your experience in the water, chumming etc…to not have seen a GW has no bearing on the event that Kyle reported. I lived in Hawaii for years and saw plenty of reef shark but no Tigers. That’s a weak argument from which to draw a conclusion. Kyle never said it was an 18′ shark.. …another very credible Lompoc surfer had a GW sighting @ Surf Beach just prior to Kyle’s event. There were others in that water who saw the shark as well. Fortunately, it didn’t make contact with anyone. It just wasn’t reported to SRC or TheFearBeneath. Sure people are sketched, as they should be. We all know they are out there. It’s unfair to make comments such as, “presenting himself as bait.” Would you never surf again because you saw a shark or two? Would you never drive your car again if you’ve had an accident or two? Additionally, to make a supposition about a motivation to “thin out the crowd, ” is just that-a supposition based purely on your own speculation.
To Martin-
I said “the forum” sensationalized the event..not you or your staff. I am certain you objectively reported the facts as told to you. Some how the size of the shark grew along with the number of blogs posted. That is sensationalism.
Peace.
“It’s these forums that sensationalized the event.”
We published the information exactly as it exists, and deeply resent your allegations of sensationalism.
The Fear Beneath and our staff strive at all times for the utmost objectivity and ethics in journalism.
Kyle might very well be a rippin surfer. I myself have surfed this stretch of coastline for over 20 years from Pismo to Malibu. I also shark fished the channel between the islands and the coast for 3 years with my father. Out of the countless days on the water surfing and shark fishing (actually chumming mackeral & bonita parts) I’ve never seen a great white in the wilds, plenty of Mako, threasher and Blues though. If Kyle saw this supposed 18 foot great white at one of his local surf spots on 3 different occaisions in one month why did he continue to go out present himself as bait? The damage to the board is just not consistant with an 18 foot great white chomping down on it dear anonymous poster. For years I’ve known surfers whom reported Great white activity to local athorities with hopes of thinning out the crowd and it generally worked if such report received enough notoriety. This could possibly Kyles motivation. I hardly know a surfer worth his salt that wouldn’t be up for an occaisional prank. However the mechanics of this possibly 2 ton shark as big as your car chomping down onto this surfboard between and underneath the area of the side fins and center fin and leaving no damage to those fins is I beleive impossible.
Cyan Tyst-are you a marine biologist ala “George Costanza” on
Seinfeld? Kyle is credible, not an attention seeker. He is an intelligent, kind, rippin’ surfer… He has no reason to fabricate this story. I am amazed at all the negative attention and childish comments this forum has generated. I, as other “Lompoc Locals,” feel compelled to respond to those who make unwarranted judgements (based on ignorance) about people who live and surf in this community. Yes, the story happened. It’s these forums that sensationalized the event. People are defensive because Kyle has been attacked both literally and figuratively.
To Kyle-keep up your awesome vibe brother …this too shall pass.
I am a first time visitor who just read this account.
As a marine biologist, I can tell you with 99.9% certainty that after looking at the only physical evidence (i.e. the surfboard) this attack NEVER happened.
What you have here is a plain, old-fashioned HOAX.
The photo certainly does not support that new account of Kyle’s version of the attack Brody. That board would have much more damage if it was shook side to side in the sharks mouth. It says the shark kept biting the board, but there is only one area of supposed tooth marks which by Great White standards are not very deep considering the shark could have bitten the board in half as easily as if it were a toothpick. If you will notice the picture of the great white on your home page of your website the front teeth are the largest and yet in Kyle’s photo this area of the bite were perfect and very shallow. Still doesn’t add up Brody.
Check the SRC pacific coast shark news:
“It was about 10:30 AM and I had been alone on the water for about 30 minutes. The sky was overcast and the ocean glassy calm with ‘shoulder high’ swells. When entering the water I observed a lone seal close inshore. After entering the water I was about 50 yards from the beach. While sitting on my board a pod of 10 – 15 dolphins swam right through my area heading from North to South. The dolphins were jumping out of the water as I have frequently observed when surfing. About a minute later I was hit from the back (tail of board) and lifted slowly out of the water as the shark pushed me 1 – 2 feet forward. I slid off the left side of my board as the shark pushed my board forward. The shark came to the surface with my board in its mouth. It was on my right and so close to me that I could see its eye roll back in the socket as it kept pushing and biting my board. The sensory pores on the underside of the snout were visible as I started to swim backwards while facing the shark. It began to thrash wildly in the water and I was struck by its tail as it descended out of sight. The Great White Shark was 10 – 12 feet in length and light grey in color. I swam to my board, which was now 15 – 20 feet away, climbed on and paddled to shore. This is the third shark I’ve seen from this location and second in the last month.”
Kyle these clowns are rediculous. Fuck’m!
Dear Martin,
This is not a joke. You need to remove the Jalama surf forecast on your blog. If you do not, you may encounter some fatal “issues” at a future point in time.
Sincerely,
Dead Serious
the guy is not even on for his own story and now he is thanking people and claiming it…so fake…
the board is a set up…his butt would have been inches from this giant mouth and from being ate…that is life changing not a call to praise…
not a joke to mess with…
if he has so many buddies why is he surfing alone…
It is so obvious that this guy “Kyle” is basking in the glory of re-telling and recounting his ficitonal shark encounter. He probably thinks it will help him get chicks or something.
I agree with Jimmy Creek that there would be damage to those fins.
Just Kyle’s response to my post tells me that he is an irresponsible youth whom is probably playing a prank on us. Its funny that a shark of that size capable of producing hundreds if not thousands of pounds of bite pressure was able to fit his teeth and gums underneath the tip of the 2 side fins without damaging them at all. Also there is no damage to the center fin? Come on!……at least one or all of these fins would surely have some kind of damage to them, especially the side fin on the left side of the photo where the teeth supposed teeth marks fall within an inch of its base. Actually underneath the rack of its tip……not possible without some sort of damage to this fin! Kyle stay on the beach searching for sea shells.
Thats funny Jimmy Creek Marine Bio Bob Lea didn’t think it to be phony and Hugh G. Kaack I think you are trying to compensate for something using that stupid name.
Thanks to all who actualy care that Im alright;
Country Joe
M. Glaze
Stump
Chucky
B. Witch
G. Deek
and all the J Boyz
Im just glad to be back in the water!
From the subsequent coverage by other media outlets, it sounds legit to us at The Fear Beneath; unless the Vandenberg personnel are in on the conspiracy - which doesn’t seem TOO likely, although we admit that possibility exists.
Why don’t we see the “damage” to the deck side of the board? Any teeth left behind? If this guy has seen three sharks lately he needs to carry a camera with him…or take up lawn darts…it is safer
I don’t care what Kyle says, the photo says that is a phony bite mark!
I stand by my original comment: If that had been me I would have wrestled the beast to shore and gouged out its eyes.
Agreed. Very lucky. Not a pussy.
I actually wouldn’t call the guy a pussy. Very lucky though.