A surfer narrowly escaped injury after a shark attacked his board about 100 yards off Montara State Beach in California on Saturday, prompting officials to close the beach for 48 hours.
Jens Heller, 42, told the San Francisco Chronicle: “I thought, ‘That’s it. I will not get away from this.'”
Why It Matters
Shark attacks in California are exceptionally rare, averaging fewer than two incidents per year across the state over the last decade, according to the California Academy of Sciences.
Heller said he believed he was attacked by a white shark, which is the primary species involved in nearly all unprovoked attacks in California.
What To Know
Heller had been in the water for roughly 10 to 15 minutes near Montara State Beach when he suddenly felt an impact on his board and leg, initially mistaking it for a submerged rock, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
“I didn’t think of anything else,” Heller said. He quickly realized the true source after being thrown from the board and turning around to see the shark’s eyes, teeth and gums.
The incident occurred at around 2 p.m. PT, while Heller’s wife and 6-month-old daughter waited on the shore. The shark gnawed on his surfboard, but Heller was unharmed.
Mark Conlin/VWPics via AP Images
Heller said that he was “panicked” by the encounter, adding: “I thought, ‘That’s it. I will not get away from this.'”
As the shark released the board and swam away, he managed to regain his composure, climb onto his damaged surfboard, and return to shore.
Upon reaching the beach, Heller discovered he had no injuries and described his survival as “my lucky day,” the outlet reported.
Lifeguards cleared the water after Heller notified them, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife collected DNA samples from the board for analysis, according to the report.
The California Academy of Sciences reported that only 99 unprovoked attacks—almost exclusively involving white sharks—have occurred in the state’s history, with an average of 1.8 per year over the past decade.
“The danger of shark attack in California waters is minuscule; however, should one have that experience, it can be very serious and most unforgettable,” advice on its website reads.
What People Are Saying
California State Parks, in a statement quoted by the San Francisco Chronicle: “California State Parks would like to remind visitors that sharks are an important part of the coastal ecosystem and that interactions between people and sharks are rare.”
What Happens Next
Bay Area news station KTVU, citing a California State Parks official, reported that the beach would remain closed for at least 48 hours following the attack.