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Stand-Up Paddle Surfers: Irresistible Shark Attack Victims?

Saturday, May 2, 2009 By 16 Comments

supdogsano 300x245 Stand Up Paddle Surfers: Irresistible Shark Attack Victims?

Stand-Up Paddle Surfers: Potential Shark Attack Victims?

The recent influx of clueless kooks standing up on small cruise-liners in many local lineups is part of the awful agony of the new stand-up paddle surfing trend, the pain felt especially bad in Southern California.

This article, published a couple months ago (yeah, we’re lazy) over at MyLocalLineup.Com seems to issue a warning; stand-up paddle surfers represent a delicious new source of victims for the great white shark, also known as … The Fear Beneath.

‘Stand-up paddle (SUP) surfers reported above average shark sightings in January and February at San Onofre State Beach, according to the Shark Research Committee, a non-profit scientific research organization that documents shark attacks in the Pacific Coast of North America.

In these two months alone, there have been five reported incidents, where sharks subtly approached SUP surfers and then swam away without any signs of aggression. Most of the reports describe a 16-17 foot great white, located south of the power plant and about 30-50 yards offshore …

The unusual number of sightings by SUP riders could be due to either one or a combination of the following factors … the ability to reach remote areas leads them to places where white sharks are more likely to be … the larger surfboard area, together perhaps with the paddle strokes, is more attractive to great whites. Whatever the case may be, this new surf modality is receiving scrutiny even from the locals’ local, namely, great whites.’

Filed Under: California, Shark Attacks, Shark Sightings Tagged With: ,
  • dru_down

    White sharks have been protected for some time in CA. I think their “endangered status” is somewhat overstated here. Maybe not in South Australia, but here. I went on a 5 day White shark dive off Guadalupe and we saw at least 15-30 different White sharks.

    I grew up in Solana Beach and remember thinking on our junior lifeguard deep water swim past the breakers “hmmm, this is White shark territory.” While that was 1986, I saw one rise to the surface at Dog's Beach/Rivermouth in 1999. None of my bros believed me. Until the “case was re-opened” after Mr. Martin (our family vet) was savagely attacked and killed in the exact location we had to do our swim.

    So, I would say there are more of them- both mature and juvenile.

  • dru_down

    White sharks have been protected for some time in CA. I think their “endangered status” is somewhat overstated here. Maybe not in South Australia, but here. I went on a 5 day White shark dive off Guadalupe and we saw at least 15-30 different White sharks.

    I grew up in Solana Beach and remember thinking on our junior lifeguard deep water swim past the breakers “hmmm, this is White shark territory.” While that was 1986, I saw one rise to the surface at Dog's Beach/Rivermouth in 1999. None of my bros believed me. Until the “case was re-opened” after Mr. Martin (our family vet) was savagely attacked and killed in the exact location we had to do our swim.

    So, I would say there are more of them- both mature and juvenile.

  • Rude Boy

    I agree. Standing outside the lineup in deep water, I'm sure they many things I'd rather not see cruising below me.

    Strange. I grew up surfing San O/Trestles and I can't remember ever hearing as much about sharks as we do now. In fact, when I was a grom I remember old hippies paddling way, way, way outside (why?) without incident. Has something changed?

    By the way, my cousin is currently a marine biology student at URI and he spends his summers tagging sharks. There are plenty in Rhode Island, especialy great whites around Block Island.

  • Rude Boy

    I agree. Standing outside the lineup in deep water, I'm sure they many things I'd rather not see cruising below me.

    Strange. I grew up surfing San O/Trestles and I can't remember ever hearing as much about sharks as we do now. In fact, when I was a grom I remember old hippies paddling way, way, way outside (why?) without incident. Has something changed?

    By the way, my cousin is currently a marine biology student at URI and he spends his summers tagging sharks. There are plenty in Rhode Island, especialy great whites around Block Island.

  • turttle

    Well i would think that it would not be rocket science to see that standing on a oversized surf board chillen outside the break or what not sight seeing with a better veiw of their surroundings and whats below,They just have a better view of whats allready there and what the rest of us miss?

  • susansaunders

    clueless kooks??? that's my boyfriend, erik, with our dog, lily in about 5' of water in narragansett bay… not many sharks here in rhode island. had i shot the photo a little more to the right, you would have seen stanford white's beautiful casino tower standing majestically in the background. it's quite a wonderful sport, SUPing… don't knock it 'til you've tried it. susan s.

  • Honolulu Bra

    I heard Waimanu hangs out at Ledbetter.

  • SUPs Rule

    All you SUP haters better stay away from Ledbetter in Santa Barbara. We SUPs rule that spot now. We line up, take turns, have each other's back, and occasionally do a circle jerk outside so we can all climax together.

  • waimanu

    Lucky that you can hide behind the internet. i suggest you go find a hawaiian on an SUP and tell him what you think, to his face

  • Eric C

    I heard Waimanu used to boogie board before he began spending time as a SUPer. Apparently he stopped boogie boarding because “it was too extreme”.

  • Cronzer

    Hey Waimanu, don't pretend to be some hawaiian local heavy. The only reason you paddle out so far is so haoles like me won't make fun of your “surfing”.

    I also heard that when you get out real far you take off your Da Hui board shorts and put on a pink tutu. Is that really true?

  • waimanu

    Standup paddlie surfing lets you go to outside breaks where there are more sharks. I surf in Hawaii (not socal) and regularly see tigers. Comments from SUP haters are typical. Try paddle your little board out to the reefs with me. You will piss in your little haole shorts when the first tiger shows up.

  • Real Surfer

    Great white sharks would be doing all of us real surfers a favor if they took out all the stand up paddle lames.

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  • http://www.fearbeneath.com Martin Brody

    These stand-up paddle surfers are facing a real danger here, in the form of the great white shark and the distinct possibility of being bitten in half!

    Not only will you be mocked by your peers, but the sharks are hungrier for you, too, so it's a win-win!

  • Hugh G. Kaack

    I thought SUPs stood for STAND UP PUSSES aka KOOKS TO THE MAX.

    Hugh K. Kaack