Surfer Avoids Injury Following Attack by Possible Great White Shark By David Chiu

A surfer was attacked by a suspected great white shark in Northern California earlier this week, but fortunately suffered no injuries, officials said. 

The incident occurred on the morning of Monday, Dec. 22, at Dillon Beach in Marin County, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, The Press Democrat and SURFER.

Graham Groneman, a division chief with the Marin County Fire Department, told the Chronicle that the surfer was hit by “what everyone assumes is a great white shark,” about 200-400 yards offshore, per the Chronicle. 

“It’s where shark experts do research on Great White sharks,” Groneman said of the area, where shark sightings are not unusual, The Press Democrat reported. 

Groneman said the incident was a hit and not a bite. The surfer was not injured, but his surfboard did suffer damage. 

The Marin County Fire Department division also said that officials from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife took a DNA sample off the blood from the surfboard to determine the type of shark involved in the incident, the Chronicle added. 

In an Instagram posted on Monday, the West Marin Feed shared photos of warning signs of shark activity from Dillon Beach following the attack, including one image of what appeared to be the surfer’s damaged surfboard. 

“Glad everyone is ok,” the Instagram post’s caption read in part. 

Per The Press Democrat, Groneman suggested that the shark activity might be due to the growing presence of sea lions and seals, which serve as prey. 

According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, there have been about 230 recorded shark incidents since 1950. Of those, 16 were fatal. 

The vicinity where this latest attack occurred has become known for great white shark activity, per SURFER, citing information from the website of advocacy group Shark Stewards. 

“The Bay is the center of the Red Triangle,” the Shark Stewards website stated. “This area bounded by Bodega Bay, Big Sur and the Farallon Islands, has nearly half of the recorded white shark attacks on humans in the U.S. Over 80% of recorded shark fatalities are north of Point Conception.”

PEOPLE contacted the Marin County Fire Department and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on Thursday, Dec. 25, for additional information 

The Dillon Beach incident also comes about a day after a triathlete disappeared in Northern California after reports of a shark sighting. 

Erica Fox, 55, went missing off Lovers Point in Pacific Grove, Monterey County, Calif., around noon on Sunday, Dec. 21. At the time, Fox was swimming with a group of 15 swimmers. 

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As Fox was in the water, two witnesses on shore reported a shark sighting in the same area. A witness told police that they saw water splashing when the woman disappeared around 100 yards off Lovers Point, CBS San Francisco reports. One person reported seeing a “large splash,” per SFGATE. 

Pacific Grove Police Department Commander Brian Anderson said that they had alerted all the swimmers to return to shore, adding, “There was one swimmer who hasn’t reported back yet,” per CBS San Francisco. But when the group of swimmers returned to shore, they realized Fox had disappeared. 

The search for Fox was suspended on Monday, Dec. 22.

Additional reporting by Charna Flam.