Landlord? with pic's

OMG!!!  Sure glad you experienced ONLY a visual encounter PP.  This is my greatest fear in ocean kayaking.  I am soooooo afraid of being eaten by a great white, that it makes me think twice about going out by myself.  I haven't done that yet, and may not do it now!

I surfed So Cal as a younger lad.  I was surfing (alone) the inner break at Malibu Beach (very small area).  My buddies were all surfing out at a farther point.  As I paddled out for another set, I saw some splashing on the surface about 50 feet away.  I stopped and sat on my long board, with my feet up, and just watched for a bit.  Then I saw THE FIN!  Holy @#$% it looked fairly big.  I turned around slowly, and with knees and legs ON the board I paddled back to shore.  My buddies surfed for another hour or so, not being anywhere near that shark.  I couldn't holler to get their attention (too far) so I just sat on the beach and enjoyed the sun, all the while watching that shark surface only a few feet from where it started.  My buddies paddled in as the sun set.  They never were near it or saw it.

The next morning as I drove to my college classes, the AM radio news announced that they closed Malibu Beach to all swimmers and surfers as there were spottings of a ten foot Blue Shark that was hanging around the area.

I sold my board and my wet suit that week!  A decade later, I moved to Oregon and again got the bug to surf.  Bought a board, suit and all.  Never could get myself to get outside the breakers!   

Most oregon shark sightings/encounters take place when the salmon start to come near river mouths and around those locations.   Compared to cali we get like 5% of their encounters course not many of us like to brave the cold.  I think that an encounter though would definately be enough for me to sell my board and wetsuit lol.   

More than once I've had a sharky feeling while surfing here.  When I get that feeling or if there were sea lions around and then they are gone all of sudden.  I get the hell out of the water and move on to skimboarding.  What I hate most is needing to wear my wetsuit for comfort.  That muted hearing handicap freaks me out sometimes.  Not like you'd ever hear one coming but it bugs me none the less.

Statistically you're a lot safer here than cali we get a surfer attacked about once every 4-5 years.  I like to surf agate beach never been a sighting or encounter there lol.  PC has better waves but is way more sharky.

Had my own "Shark" encounter while surfing near Ano Nuevo In Nor Cal many years ago, it was a cold fall day with heavy Offshores and my buddy and I were attempting to take off when we saw between the beach and us what appeared to be the biggest shark fin you ever saw, almost Jaws style.  We both instinctively looked out to sea simultaneously, I'm not sure why, ( I can't describe the feel in the pit of my stomach but I can relate to Pelagic's feeling),  When we turned back toward shore we saw an Elephant Seal go Kersplat and make the biggest Belly Flop noise you can imagine and then we saw nothing.  We were on shore in no time, terrified paddling into what seemed to be the Shark Zone but we really had no other options.  I never saw any blood and really never convinced myself it was Whitey, Maybe just the Seal Tail?  Whale Fluke?  I dunno but it was the second scariest thing that ever happened to me; during the 2 minute episode We new it to be a shark, but unless it failed in it's attack on the Seal it seems we were mistaken.

Was there any surfers at the beach? If so, did you tell any of them?

Aside from Sharkshield has anyone researched "Best Practices" for when a White (Or any shark your uncertain about) shows up while on a kayak? Paddle, don't paddle, Curl up in a small ball and play dead, make yourself look bigger, prepaint an orca pattern on the bottom of the boat? Be like Shark Men and try to land it, tag it and determine it's sex, followed by a safe release with an underwater camera.

Obviously kidding but in all seriousness what an experience, something most of us will never (gladly) see. Sounds like you did the right things and Glad you are OK.