Great white shark sighting reported off Malibu

There I was surfing and sorting through websites, sipping a soft drink, when I stumbled upon a rather unsettling item on the Shark Research Committee site run by the renowned Ralph S. Collier.

The latest entry, under the Pacific Coast Shark News 2008 heading, was a brief account involving a woman identified as Gina S., and her husband, who while strolling along the Malibu coast late Sunday afternoon witnessed an attack by what they claim was a large shark on a sea lion.

It was about 5 p.m., sunny and breezy, somewhere between Paradise Cove and Pepperdine University. They noticed three sea lions 30 to 40 yards offshore, and a small pod of dolphins nearby.

And there was a lone sea lion 30 yards south of the others. (See where this is going?)

The rest, as described by Gina:

"While looking at the lone sea lion suddenly the huge head of a great white shark surfaced next to the seal and took a large bite out of the animal. The shark was dark gray and at least 10-12 feet in length with a dorsal fin 12-16 inches high.

"The attack occurred just beyond the forming waves and lasted only a minute or less. Following the initial bite, there was a lot of splashing and then all went quiet. Sea gulls began diving on the attack site as if they were feeding. The shark submerged and neither the shark nor the bitten sea lion were observed again."

Collier urged those considering swimming or surfing in the area to exercise caution. That's always good advice. White sharks do utilize Southland coastal waters but generally leave the area, most scientists believe, when they reach the size where they start feeding on seals and sea lions instead of fish.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Adult great white shark photographed at Guadalupe Island, 160 miles west of Baja California, last October. Credit: Al Seib/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Terry]

That's pretty scary. I surf so. cal. all the time and I will be a little more paranoid now. Maybe I'll move to No. Cal if the risk is just as high.

Cheers. T