Just in time to scare the piss out of the top 32 before the Rip Curl Search event sets up shop in San Francisco, a local surfer near Moss Landing in Santa Cruz was attacked by a massive White Shark over the weekend. Eric Tarantino, 27, was bitten on the neck and shoulder while surfing Marina State Beach, South of Santa Cruz.(Photo courtesy Monterey County Herald/David Royal)
Eric and a friend had paddled out at dawn, and were both paddling back to the peak after sharing a set when the shark attacked, biting Tarantino on the right arm and neck. Witnesses say that he came within millimeters of death, as his jugular was visible in his neck wounds, yet remained intact. A very similar attack occured at the same beach in 2007 when a friend of Tarantino's, Todd Endris was attacked by a similar sized shark. Endirs also barely survived, requiring over 500 stitches to his back and rib cage. Tarantino is in stable condition and expected to recover.
Full story here.
This may be coincidence, or maybe that shark has a thing for Erics, but you may recall a shark story from this time two years ago when Floridian Eric Geiselman had the living shit scared out of him during a CWC freesurf session up the coast from where this attack occurred. He was waiting for a wave when a large white shark hit him from below, luckily his board took all the impact, sparing Eric. The video only captures him running out of the water with half his board, but you can see the terror on his face.
6 Comments
1-6 of 6
Posted by billnetter November 2, 2011 02:36am PDTReply | Report Abuse
Surfing in and anywhere near a well known shark hangout is like trying to skateboard through a mined field! Why the hell would you chance it?? All surfers need to look through photos of bitten swimmers and surfers before they are allowed to go out surfing for the day .... every time! Maybe a few of them might get it through their heads that the fun just isn't worth the risk. Well, not to me and most people that I know! "Stupid is as stupid does!" (grin)
Reply by jim kleinhammer November 2, 2011 11:35am PDTReport Abuse
sharks like yamyam surfer
Posted by itjtu November 2, 2011 04:00am PDTReply | Report Abuse
We overfish the seas and take away their food supply, then wonder why things like this are happening a lot more often.
Reply by tbone762 November 2, 2011 03:02pm PDTReport Abuse
Excellent point!
Reply by tbone762 November 2, 2011 03:02pm PDTReport Abuse
Excellent point!
Posted by eastbayanddown November 2, 2011 05:01am PDTReply | Report Abuse
Sharks have always been part of surfing in the bay area and santa cruz. The thought never overwhelms you but never goes away either. Surfing in northern california always presents something out of the ordinary which makes it unique. If there was not any risk or danger every kook would be out on a board like in southern california.
Posted by darl kretsinger November 2, 2011 11:40am PDTReply | Report Abuse
If someone is fool enough to go surfing in known shark waters, I don't feel sorry for then one bit if they are bitten or killed. I had a run in with a ten foot tiger shark at Vung Tau in Vietnam back in 67, I learned my lesson real well. I haven't even gotten my little toe wet in salt water since, and I live in Miami
Posted by melanie d lemire November 2, 2011 03:35pm PDTReply | Report Abuse
Hmmm. I wonder, is this reporter making a statement of fact when he writes, "...Geiselman had the living shit scared out of him...", or is he trying to impress upon the reader the magnitude of Geiselman's fear using that crass figure of speech? As a statement of fact, I would have to say to this reporter (who presumably is not a big fan of precise articulation) OMG, that's TOTALLY FUCKING GROSS!!! TMI, BRA!!! TMI!!! As, a figure of speech...well, never mind.
Of more relevance to this article perhaps; two more Eric's. There's 1993 attack of Eric Welte at Waddell Creek, and the 1991 attack of Eric Larson at Davenport beach, both within the boundaries of the "Red Triangle". Larson, who still surfs, survived the attack with 400 stitches and 200 surgical staples. Crazy? I don't think so. Anyone who has ever caught a wave will tell you it is HELLA COOL, DUDE! The benefits of the fun and exercise far outweigh the dangers. The odds of getting bitten by a shark are roughly 300 million to one. Is anyone out there afraid they may get struck by lightning on the same day they hit the lottery? Maybe. But wouldn't that be an unreasonable justification for never going outside when it rains?
Posted by nancy south carolina November 5, 2011 06:03pm PDTReply | Report Abuse
We are in there enviroment. We as himans take the risk, when we enter any water. So we have to ask ourselves, is the risk worth the fun of the sport. A question each individual must answer for themselves.
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