Surf Session #53...The Return of

No pics of today's session...too much fog in the area. Started out at the secret spot, all by myself...did a surf check before determining that the mixed swell (SW with NW) combined with the higher tide was making nothing of merit for paddling out. Besides, I was not about to paddle out at a "unfamiliar" spot on a day like today...so I decided to drive on up to the usual spot and get wet.

Nothing much to report...closeouts and the occasional slow moving shoulder to get up on. I had a nice left that almost turned into a half-barrel as I roared down the face, fleeing the quickly collapsing lip...pretty fun, but very foggy and by myself for the last 20 minutes.

As for the pic above:

Now, as most of you know (from my previous Blog entry "My Inadvertent Incident with Mr. White” from Wednesday, April 8, 2009) I have already had a fall visit from Mr. White, therefore I’m always a bit more apprehensive about surfing by myself at this time of the year. Hence, my surprise at finding out about a recent local attack not far from the secret spot. I guess the “gloomy” feel of the spot was right on…though it was just as gloomy at the usual spot too.

Here is a copy the article:

(from http://www.sharkresearchcommittee.com/pacific_coast_shark_news.htm)

Samoa Beach — On September 11, 2011Benjie Rose was surfing 40 yards from shore at Samoa Beach at the Power Poles break just across the bridge from Eureka. There were several surfers in close proximity to Rose with one surfer, David, only a few feet away. It was 12:20 PM and he had been on the water about 45 minutes. Air and water temperatures were estimated at 70 and 53 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The sky was clear with little or no breeze. The ocean was calm with 4 – 5 foot surf over water 8 feet deep with a sandy bottom and scattered sandbars. No marine mammals or kelps were observed in the area. A slightly deeper channel is located inside of the sandbars. Rose reported; “I was sitting on my board waiting for a wave when all of a sudden I felt a hard impact on my board directly from below. I briefly saw the shark's tail submerge right after the impact. I turned, my board was still in one piece, and began paddling for shore, a wave came quickly and I surfed it on my belly, came to a deep water channel inside of the sand bar and paddled across it, caught another small wave and my board broke into two pieces. I got to the sandy beach as fast as possible. A couple of guys on a sand dune saw the shark impact me and said it knocked me up in the air. I was pretty freaked out but only had a bloody nose. I think it occurred when the shark impacted my board and it might have hit me in the face, but I'm not sure. Otherwise I was completely un-injured. My board has a big impact mark and teeth marks.” This is the third "unprovoked shark attack" reported for 2011 along the Pacific Coast of North America. Pleases report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.

NOTE: I just love the way in which the term “unprovoked” was used in this article …as if the Shark was actually committing a conscious act of “unnatural” behavior! That’s what sharks do…they eat anything that might appear to be food: Short Board Surfer in Wetsuit = Seal = FOOD…that’s why I sport the Longboard. ;-p