Shark attack at HTB

[surf10]

Huntington Beach — On March 7, 2008 Thomas Larkin was surfing with two friends. He recounted the following; “I was surfing a 6’6” Avisco (carbon fiber) Surf Prescriptions Bat Tail Quad. I paddled out at Dog Beach near Huntington Cliffs around 7:10 in the morning at a pretty full high tide. Dog Beach is located in a stretch of Huntington City Beach between Seapoint Street and Golden West Street. I was meeting two friends there, Matt Donoghue and Craig Angel. The current was moving around a lot of water, and both of them were on longboards, so about 20 minutes into the surf I was tired of paddling over to them on my shortboard, and was surfing pretty much alone. There were two bodyboarders about 100 yards north of me, and I was almost due west of the ramp walkway. At about 8:00 AM, I caught my best wave of the session, and even though Matt and Craig had already gotten out, I wanted one more. I paddled back out and was sitting in the lineup alone, with the closest surfers about 200 yards south, and the bodyboarders were inside and north. I was waiting for a set for about 5 minutes when I felt a jolt down on the tail of my board, immediately followed by violent bubble cascade, which sunk the board down about another 8 inches. I didn’t really get what was going on as quickly as I should have, but as soon as it begun it had ended and I was apparently alone again. A wave popped up, I paddled into it but pearled because of the water in the nose of my board, I quickly got back on and paddled into the whitewater of the next wave and boogie boarded it to the beach where I emptied the board through the apparent bite mark." The diameter of the bite suggests an adult White Shark in excess of 15 feet in length. Caution should be exercised when utilizing this location for your ocean water activities. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

[shamgod]

My bullshit detector is pinging...

[JonS]

Originally Posted by shamgod

My bullshit detector is pinging...

In any case, it is worth mentioning that the White Shark warning signs are posted once again up at Hollister Ranch. Apparently, the regular visitor (the man in the grey suit with a particular dorsal fin that has been spotted many times over the years) is baaaaack.

[shamgod]

So here is what it feels like and looks like when a 15' Shark bites your board:

I felt a jolt down on the tail of my board, immediately followed by violent bubble cascade, which sunk the board down about another 8 inches. I didn’t really get what was going on as quickly as I should have, but as soon as it begun it had ended and I was apparently alone again.

Wowie! The violent bubble cascade (whatever that is) must be really scary!

[shamgod]

I got an email today from one very pissed off Thomas Larkin, the guy whose board was allegedly attacked in HB. Mr. Larkin was upset because I thought his account sounded like a fish story and by inference rightly believed I was impugning his credibility. He told me he had photographs to prove that something did in fact bite his board. I told him I'd publicly apologize if he produced the photos. Attached is the most compelling of the photos. Though the photo is not totally conclusive, that Mr. Larkin took time to email me taken together with the photos, is more than enough to pass a threshold of credibility as far as I'm concerned. Therefore, I want to publicly apologize to Thomas Larkin for insulting him, demeaning him, discrediting him, or in any way offending him in regards to his account of the incident at HB.

Hope you get a new board Thomas.

Put that thing on e-bay, you'll probably make enough for a new board and a new Porche to carry it with.

(Thomas Larkin's board is in my avatar--couldn't figure out how to upload)

[Cutback]

That board has nice lines.

What do you think of quads? I have never rode one.

[JonS]

Originally Posted by shamgod

I got an email today from one very pissed off Thomas Larkin, the guy whose board was allegedly attacked in HB. Mr. Larkin was upset because I thought his account sounded like a fish story and by inference rightly believed I was impugning his credibility. He told me he had photographs to prove that something did in fact bite his board. I told him I'd publicly apologize if he produced the photos. Attached is the most compelling of the photos. Though the photo is not totally conclusive, that Mr. Larkin took time to email me taken together with the photos, is more than enough to pass a threshold of credibility as far as I'm concerned. Therefore, I want to publicly apologize to Thomas Larkin for insulting him, demeaning him, discrediting him, or in any way offending him in regards to his account of the incident at HB.

Hope you get a new board Thomas.

Put that thing on e-bay, you'll probably make enough for a new board and a new Porche to carry it with.

(Thomas Larkin's board is in my avatar--couldn't figure out how to upload)

I really appreciate someone who can own up to a mistake and follow-up with an apology.

You are a good man Sham!




Here are the rest of Thomas' pics.

[Goletagirl]

At first I thought you changed the avatar because of the pro-Bush ding in the other thread.
After reading this post I have to give you a nod, Sham. It would have been pretty easy to blow this off. It was good to be so stand-up about it.
Glad Mr. Larkin's board is all that got chomped.

[surf10]

The same shark got my bike on the way home tonight, yikes!

[Goletagirl]

Whoah, looks like he got a good chunk of your wall too.