Whitey patrolling OB ...

[LionKite]

There were two sightings last week at Ocean Beach and bunch of dead seals on the beach
So wednesday morning at 7.45 am when pumping kites(really unusal for OB to blow that early!!!) and looking at all the birds feasting on bait I was a little more "aware" of my surrounding than usual
Really good conditions considering it hasn`t been windy at OB for weeks
after 1 hour and a half I see my friend waving at me and he tells me he just saw a six footer great white whipping his tail in the surf ten yards from him
We were both kind of freaked as we see the decapitated seal on the beach stinking so we walked a little way upwind and went out for another hour warning the two other kiters(one had allready seen him) and two bodyboarders that cancelled their session as they fellt more vulnerable...
Not trying to freak anyone just passing on the info

[bhsu24]

well the bodysurfers probably had smart idea to leave the water, but if ur on a kite just stay on ur board and look back alot or just ride blind and when u see the fin or hear the jaws theme song get ready to boost some big air and u should be fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MehYam]

get ready to boost some big air and u should be fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks like you need to be able to boost at least six feet. Quick. :D

[jstjohn3]

Oh, My.

[OliverG]

More pics:

http://www.apexpredators.com/store/show ... tegoryID=6

http://www.apexpredators.com/store/show ... egoryID=10

[Pablito]

Would you call that a frontroll? Or a backroll?

I never, NEVER want to see that up close.

So Whitey is going so fast when he hits his victim that he flies right out of the water? Like a trout, only 100 times bigger.

[MehYam]

Chumlooping.

EDIT: in case you're really worried, I don't think this ever happens around here. GW's tend to behave this way in specific locations.

[Part of z food chain]

Whitey is always partolling the waters. This time of the year there is more "food" in the water w/all the little fish maturing and going for little swims....

I was in the ocean for a few days - nice swells out there - and was amazed at how active the water gets this time of the year: seals, dolphins, otters, birds were spotted everywhere.....I have no doubt that another big fish was looking. This is one of the many reasons I try to ALWAYS make that outside transition clean and quick.

You need to know that when you step into the North CA ocean water, you are entering the food chain - and you are NOT the highest on this list.

Good winds, Zeev.

[Live2KITE]

There were two sightings last week at Ocean Beach and bunch of dead seals on the beach
So wednesday morning at 7.45 am when pumping kites(really unusal for OB to blow that early!!!) and looking at all the birds feasting on bait I was a little more "aware" of my surrounding than usual
Really good conditions considering it hasn`t been windy at OB for weeks
after 1 hour and a half I see my friend waving at me and he tells me he just saw a six footer great white whipping his tail in the surf ten yards from him
We were both kind of freaked as we see the decapitated seal on the beach stinking so we walked a little way upwind and went out for another hour warning the two other kiters(one had allready seen him) and two bodyboarders that cancelled their session as they fellt more vulnerable...
Not trying to freak anyone just passing on the info

Yeap - I was out there that day also.
I am not sure about the whitey vs thrusser though. I saw a baby thrusser that day also, laying on the beach. We've kited with Thrusser sharks before even inside the Bay (Crissy) and you can spot them from the long ribbon like tail.

Shorktomber is right around the corner so beware.
There haven't been any known insidents as I far as I know with kiters and shark attacks, RickI might have more details....

Evan

[sflinux]

Thanks for the post guys. What was the date(s) of the sighting(s)?
I've heard of sightings of great whites before at ob, but have never heard of an attack at OB. I've even heard of sightings along the shore of crissy too. But I've never heard of an attack along the san francisco coast. Stinson beach, on the other hand, is another story. My hat goes off to those that are brave enough to enter those waters.
I agree that kiters are less likely to be attacked. Great whites are ambush predators. If you are on a kite, you are most likely always moving. It's the sitting ducks that are more likely to be hit.
From what I've heard, being hit by a great white is like being hit by a vw bus. I heard punching them in the eyes may encourage them to leave you alone. I never want to get close enough to one to find out. I've also heard that great whites are creatures of habit. So the one patroling the coast will be back next year with a +/- 3 day window of when they were on our beach the year before (and next year he/she be even bigger).
Anyone see the shark week special on mythbusters? (I missed em)
I'm curious as to what they discovered on those shows.
thanks,
bric