First day of lobster season, first diver in critical condition

[MaxBottomtime]

Teenager transported to hospital after shark attack at Beacon's Beach in Encinitas
A teenager reportedly was attacked by a shark off the Encinitas shoreline Saturday morning.

It happened just before 7 a.m. at Beacon's Beach, on Neptune Avenue near Leucadia Boulevard., authorities said.

The victim is reportedly 13-years-old and is in critical condition. A representative of Rady Children's Hospital confirmed someone arrived at the hospital with a shark bite injury about 7:45 a.m.

A kayaker in the water brought the victim ashore after he was bitten. According to the kayaker, the victim was in the water for the start of lobster season and called out after he was bit. The boy then swam to the nearby kayaker, who also said that the shark appeared to be an 11 foot white shark.

 

[Bob DBF]

Since the diver was described as a skin diver, I wonder if he was a freediver, since that term has not been used to describe scuba divers for decades.
I hope they can get him patched up and back to doing what 13 year olds do soon.


Bob

 

[JamesBon92007]

Teenager transported to hospital after shark attack at Beacon's Beach in Encinitas
A teenager reportedly was attacked by a shark off the Encinitas shoreline Saturday morning.

It happened just before 7 a.m. at Beacon's Beach, on Neptune Avenue near Leucadia Boulevard., authorities said.

The victim is reportedly 13-years-old and is in critical condition. A representative of Rady Children's Hospital confirmed someone arrived at the hospital with a shark bite injury about 7:45 a.m.

A kayaker in the water brought the victim ashore after he was bitten. According to the kayaker, the victim was in the water for the start of lobster season and called out after he was bit. The boy then swam to the nearby kayaker, who also said that the shark appeared to be an 11 foot white shark.

Talk about bad luck. It's difficult for me to imagine him surviving a bite from an 11 foot white shark.

 

[Ghost95]

Oops. I thought this was the Fl. lobster season.

Hope the kid recovers.

 

[Joaz Banbeck]

Several decades ago, I used to surf at Swami's, little more than a mile south of Beacon's Beach. Great whites were reported regularly, probably once a month. This was informal chatter while waiting in the lineup, so it is anecdotal. I never saw one myself.

I suspect that this incident is a case of extreme bad luck. Telling people to stay out of the water for 48 hours seems silly.

Edit: I looked at the referenced article. It says that he was bitten about 6:55AM. It brings back memories of dodging rocks at Swami's just after sunrise. ( It is a nice break, but it does have some hidden rocks )
Much of that part of the coastline has bluffs just inland, sometimes right at the edge of the beach. Early in the morning, even when the sun was up, there was not much light hitting the water. After a couple of close calls, I got in the habit of coming later so that I could see the rocks better.

The shark may have not had enough light to see clearly.

 

[KathyV]

This article has a little more information about the shark attack.

Shark attacks 13-year-old boy diving for lobster at San Diego County beach - Los Angeles Times

 

[Joaz Banbeck]

This article has a little more information about the shark attack.

Shark attacks 13-year-old boy diving for lobster at San Diego County beach - Los Angeles Times

Thanks for posting that. But I have to be skeptical of an article that describes the attack as happening in 9 feet of water, and also as 200 yards from shore.

"... The boy’s mother was on the beach at the time of the attack, which occurred in about 9 feet of water, [Encinitas lifeguard Capt. Larry] Giles said..."

"...the boy’s screams rang out over the water, about 200 yards from shore..."

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I just looked on Google Earth and it is shallow for a long way offshore there. At one spot in nine feet it is nearly 500 yards from shore.

 

[Ken Kurtis]

I don't know if you can edit the subject heading here but IMHO, it's a bit misleading. Perhaps "Diver Bitten By Shark on First Day of Lobster Season" would be more accurate. But by being non-specific, the headline sort of implies (at least this was my impression) that a diver in critical condition on the first day of lobster season is due to some diving error (OOA, whatever) rather than a shark bite that is most likely absolutely unconnected the lobster hunting.

- Ken

 

[Bob DBF]

But by being no-specific, the headline sort of imp[lies (at least this was my impression) that a diver in critical condition on the first day of lobster season is due to some diving error (OOA, whatever) rather than a shark bite that is most likely absolutely unconnected the lobster hunting.

The first duty of a reporter and newspaper is to capture your attention rather than give you the facts. That being said, my best guess was the kid was in the shallows freediving for lobster and was mistaken for a seal, my biggest personal concern when ab diving on the North Coast.



Bob