My wife Katy and I dove off our boat outside La Jolla Cove, a spot called Quast Rock. The sky was overcast, the water flat calm, not much current, and the wake of the boat was a line of lettuce green bubbles from the green algae that is everywhere off our coast. Apparently the red tide algae we had in the spring has given way to green tide algae in the summer.
Visibility at 75' was poor at 10-15 feet and water cold at 52 degrees. There were quite a few small fish about, including basses and sheepshead, schools of baitfish, and a very curious harbor seal that kept a wary eye on us as we swan around Anchor Rock.
We only made the one dive, mostly to try out Katy's new 8/7 wetsuit which worked fine to keep her warm. As we pulled the anchor and began motoring home I saw a large black triangular fin about 100 yards to the North. I guessed it was a big Sea Lion flipper or tail and thought little more about it.
Back at home, we read that 15-20 foot Great White Shark had been in that area since yesterday and lifeguards had warned people along the beach about it.
Subject: Great White Shark Spotted Off La Jolla Shores
> Great White Shark Spotted Off La Jolla Shores
> Lifeguards warning beachgoers
> By LINDSAY HOOD
> Updated 9:16 AM PDT, Mon, Aug 16, 2010
> San DiegoLifeguards will be patrolling the waters near La JollaShores on Monday,
> warning swimmers and surfers about a Great White Shark that was spotted offshore
> Sunday morning.
>
> San Diego Lifeguard Lt. Andy Lerum says they are just informing people about the
> sighting and letting them make their own decision about getting into the water.
>
> "We think the public would want to know, what we know," Lerum said.
> On Sunday, a 15 to 20 foot Great White Shark was spotted off the coast of La
> Jolla Shores. Lifeguards say the shark was spotted twice, once by a kayaker
> around 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning and by a lifeguard around 5:00 p.m.
>
> "[He] said the shark was bigger than his 12-foot kayak, [he] actually came in
> contact with his kayak with the fin of his tail," Lerum said.
>
> Lifeguards at La Jolla Shores said they saw a large dorsal fin coming straight
> to shore, just off the surf line at La Jolla Shores.
> "We put lifeguards out on our Jet Ski skis and we warned people," Lerum said.
> "We brought a rescue boat from Mission Bay and we warned people all the way from
> La Jolla Cove to Scripps Pier, about two miles of area."
>
> Lerum says there is no closure in effect, since there was no aggressive behavior
> by the shark. He says there isn’t an eminent threat of danger, however, most
> people made the decision to get out of the water.
>
> This is the second spotting of a Great White Shark in one week. Last week, a
> swimmer spotted another Great White at San Onofre State Beach.
>
> If there are no other sightings by this evening, Lerum said everything will go
> back to normal.