Shark Attack

moondrop Sun Apr 27, 2008 6:22 pm

San Diego swimmers steer clear of beaches in wake of shark attack
The Associated Press
Article Launched: 04/27/2008 11:49:18 AM PDT

SOLANA BEACH (AP) - Miles of Southern California beach remained under a shark advisory Sunday, denying would-be swimmers relief from soaring temperatures, because of a shark attack that killed one man.
There had been no sign of the fish, believed to be a great white shark, that bit triathlete David Martin on the legs, causing deep lacerations, Solana Beach Public Safety Director David Ott said Sunday.

Ott said people were mostly steering clear of the eight miles of coast under his jurisdiction where swimmers were urged to stay away from the water, from Torrey Pines State Beach to south Carlsbad.

Beaches farther north were expected to be crowded as inland temperatures soared during the day, he said.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office said Martin, a 66-year-old retired veterinarian, bled to death Friday.

Elsewhere, two surfers were injured in shark attacks along the Atlantic coast of central Florida during the weekend. The Volusia County Beach Patrol said one man was bitten on the calf and the other was bitten on one foot. Their injuries were not life threatening.

On Saturday, only a hardy few Southern California paddleboarders ignored signs warning that the great white shark could still be in the area.

"It's like going to see 'Jaws' - getting in the water the next day, all you could think about was the music," said Bob Rief, 63, who was teaching a friend how to stand up on a paddleboard. "But if you're afraid of the ocean, you

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advertisement

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
shouldn't be in it."
Farther north, Orange and Los Angeles county beaches were packed with people Saturday and lifeguards were more concerned with crowds and riptides than sharks.

"The most dangerous part of the day, if you're going to the beach, is getting on the freeway to come here," said Garth Canning, section chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department Lifeguard Division.

Great whites are rare along the Southern California coast, though females sometimes come south from their usual territory in the cooler water of the central and northern coast to pup.

Martin is the first shark fatality in San Diego County since 1994, when a woman's body was found with bites off Ocean Beach, near downtown San Diego.

+++++++++

I have never understood why people will swim where there are seals, seals are the favorite food source for great whites.

**Mort** Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:13 am

I used to surf quite often there in SOLANA BEACH never saw any sharks. Saw lots of bikini's though.

Sharks were the last thing on our minds.

There was always more great whites up North by San Fran where the seals are...