Shark attacks woman on kayak at Catalina. Poll: Are you scared of sharks?
June 23rd, 2008, 4:23 pm · · posted by Laylan Connelly, staff writer
UPDATE
Shark expert Ralph Collier this morning weighed in on what he thinks happened on the backside of Catalina this weekend, when a woman was knocked off her kayak by a great white shark, a bump that sent her flying into the water screaming while her family and other anglers watched helplessly from a boat.
Bettina Pereira survived the encounter with out a bite, and just sore muscles. When she flew into the air, Pereira actually stepped on the shark at one point, then pushed off in the opposite direction, her husband Andrew said in an interview Monday.
Collier, who runs the Shark Research Committee, contacted Andrew and confirmed it was a great white they encountered, based on the description and behavior of the shark.
“They’ve been at the island for millions of years,” Collier said. “So the fact that something has finally happened over there does not surprise me. I’m surprised it’s taken this long. ”
Collier said that it was an “investigation attack.”
“The shark was not interested at all in eating her, otherwise it would have stayed in the area and eaten her,” he said.
It was unusual behavior, however, for the shark to come back and ram the kayak, which knocked her into the air and flipped the kayak over.
Read more from an interview with Collier, where he tells us why we are seeing more sharks lately, and recalls similar kayaker encounters (where another person landed on the shark), and one attack in Malibu that ended in death.
Here’s the original story:
Andrew Pereira Monday recounted his wife Bettina’s unbelievable great white shark encounter Saturday morning off Catalina.
The Huntington Beach couple – along with their three kids – had taken their 50-foot boat to the island for an annual fishing tournament, and as always, Bettina dropped her kayak into the water to paddle around a bit.
They were on the backside of the island at Eagle Rock, and Bettina was about 500 feet from the shore in 200-foot deep waters when she felt a knock on her kayak.
At first she thought it was another boat or a whale - but then she looked in the water and saw the dorsal fin come out.
“It comes right under the kayak, threw her in the air, threw the kayak in the air,” Andrew said. “When she landed, she landed on the back of the shark, on her two feet. It was incredible.
Bettina screamed for help. The shark heads in one direction, and she jumps off in the other direction.
Andrew didn’t see the initial bump, but looked over when their 14-year-old son Andrew said “mom fell off the kayak.”
That’s strange, Andrew thought. In the 12 years she’s been out in the waters kayaking, she’s never fallen off. Then, in a split second, young Andrew yells: Oh my God, there’s a shark after her!
“It seemed like a long time, but it all happened so quick,” he said.
Bettina is currently on the boat resting, her body sore from the attack. Andrew is handling media calls so she can rest.
“I’ve never had any fear of having her in a kayak. There was nothing I could do,” he said. Their boat, Bettina Lee, was anchored and they couldn’t get to her.
Fortunately, there were two small boats nearby that rushed over to her within 20 seconds. The boat “Topless” picked her up out of the water.
Andrew thinks the shark took a bite out of the kayak during the scuffle, and didn’t like what he bit into.
When asked if this will keep him and his family out of the water, Andrew said they love the water and changing their lifestyle wouldn’t be easy.
“You can’t live your life being fearful of something like that happening,” he said. “My wife, I’m sure it will be a long time before she gets on the kayak.”
I just wrote a blog a few hours ago about a possible great shark following an outrigger here in Laguna Beach this weekend. Read that story here.
There is a video on CBS2.com about the great white incident at Catalina interviewing Pereira via phone, where she said her first thoughts was that a whale had knocked her off. “I landed right on the shark’s body,” she said.
Here’s part of a witness account about the Catalina attack by Bill Weilbacher, who was on a nearby boat and saw the entire attack. The entire post is here at allcoast.com:
“The woman is fine physically and was not actually bitten, but I’m sure she’s going to have her share of nightmares for some time to come.
… I was in the process of pinning my first squid on the hook when I heard a scream from the direction of the kayak. I looked over and saw the kayak flipping over and the woman going in the water. She was about a hundred yards away.
I saw a big splash next to the boat and then saw what I initially thought was an arm waving back and forth and splashing. The “arm” was dark so I thought I was looking at a person in a wetsuit waving his arm back and forth… After about two seconds I realized the “arm” was actually part of a huge shark tail oriented vertically in the water and it was thrashing back and forth right at the surface. The large dark shape was actually part of the shark sticking out of the water. The portion of the tail I could see looked like it was three feet long. The shark was pushing on the kayak and the woman was on the far side of the kayak holding on and screaming. Apparently, when she was knocked out of the kayak at some point she ended up with the kayak between her and the shark. I’m sure that’s what saved her life. Anyway, the shark was pushing on the up-side down kayak to get at her and the whole while she is shrieking like nothing I’ve ever heard…
By this time the shark had sunk out and the woman had begun swimming away from the kayak toward the big Mikelson. Watching her swimming was about the sickest thing I have ever seen. It was a feeling of complete helplessness. I was positive that big shark was going to come up and hit her at any second. The vessel “Topless” (looked sort of like an open 20 foot Skipjack, but I don’t think that’s what it was), got to her first and pulled her out of the water. Amazingly, she was unscratched. The Topless took her back to her boat and the other small boat (a blue center console) towed her kayak back for her.
The woman’s family (including her grade-school aged kids) were all on the Mikelson watching helplessly as this whole thing went down. (They were anchored as well.)
… We motored over and talked to them after a little while to make sure that she was OK. She was in kind of a giddy, euphoric “I can’t believe I’m alive.” frame of mind. She said that she felt the bump from underneath and that it rolled her into the water. She said at one point (I guess toward the end of the attack) the shark went under the kayak and she pulled her feet up and then was kicking at it… She said as she was swimming for the boat all she could think about was the fact that her family was going to watch her get killed by a shark.
Read here for more shark stories:
Great white shark spotted by charter boat 2 miles off Doheny State Beach
Great white sharks: Have you seen any? Check out our map of sightings
Shark kills swimmer in Solana Beach just south of OC – local beaches stay open
A shark’s tale… or not? Huntington surfer says board was bit by great white
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Local surfers recognized
Cool stuff. As a surfer I’ve seen plenty of sharks, though never in American waters.
Being out in the ‘wild’ is just what it is. Good thing she wasn’t hurt or worse, and in light of that, a very cool encounter!
Its global warming!
gonna get me a shark this weekend
Reading this article gave me the utter chills. I am very glad that she is alive and her family can continue to enjoy having her in their lives.
Not a cool encounter. Jaws ruined my life; 33 years later it’s still not safe to go back in the water. Actually, I cannot even look at a picture of a shark without my pulse racing. Thank God she lived; I just hope she can sleep at night.
“When she landed, she landed on the back of the shark, on her two feet. It was incredible.”
So she surfed the shark…….., she should join the pro tour.
THE BEST THING ABOUT THE STORY IS THAT SHE LANDS ON HER FEET !! ON THE SHARK !! AND JUMP TO SAFTY. THAT IS GOT TO BE THE BEST STORY OF ITS KIND. AS A KAYAK FISHERMEN THATS WHAT I WOULD TRY TO MAKE HAPPEN IF IT EVER HAPPENS TO ME.
P.S. I GOT MY FIRST 100 LB. T- SHARK ON MY YAK THE OTHER DAY AND IT TASTED GREAT.
Liar.
She lifted ME up.
I surfed HER.
Women.
She is one lucky lady!
Funny enough, my girlfriend brought me to Catalina for my birthday that same Saturday and we went kayaking in the afternoon not knowing that event had happened. Thank god the sharks hungry around that time.
I have my doubts about the accuracy of this story.
She forgot to tell them about my hat.
Whenever I go ‘human tipping’… I always wear my hat.
My shark hat.
were is quinn when you need him? Its only a matter of time before someone gets eaten off of the OC. we need to start hunting the sea lions. there is too much easy food in the water and sooner or later some is going to get mistaken for a pinneped.
The sharks were here long before we showed up. We’re continuing to encroach on their territory. No wonder they’re mad. If I was a shark I’d probably go after some human on a kayak, especially if he or she was a good distance from shore. Instant meal. Heck, we kill chicken and cows and eat them. Why aren’t sharks allowed to have a human steak every so often?
This is an “attack”? If it were an attack she wouldn’t be around to tell the story. More likely a little curiosity on the shark’s part. Don’t be so alarmist to get hits/readers. See ya in the water
I am so glad she is safe and her family still has her safe and sound.
Bettina, you came close to the scary wild nature we love and risk being a part of. Count your blessings and keep living life.
You have quite a tale to tell now!
ocobserver Says:
June 23rd, 2008 at 9:58 pm
The sharks were here long before we showed up. We’re continuing to encroach on their territory
So what should we do?? It’s obvious that we shouldn’t go into their territory and getting attacked.
“Very cool encounter”, whatever! Nothing “cool” at all about it and nobody is buying your tough act. I’ve swam and surfed these (and many other) waters for over 40 years. Big waves. The Wedge. Todos. Mavericks. An encounter with a shark like that would scare the shaving cream out of me. With all the recent sitings, I’ll be a lot more cautious this summer.
We need to start hunting the sealions??? Dude…you’re killin’ me.
I’m scared of Laylan Connelly putting up a stupid poll asking if you are scared of sharks. Shame on you Laylan, you had a chance to write a educational article. Instead, you used it to get readers all whooped up. The landing on the shark was pretty cool though.
shark attack sharkattack .. get out of the water and don’t look back shark attack shark attack ooooh oooh.hey mister ,weres my pup ,i threw a stick in the water and he didn’t come up …shark attack shark attack …..ooohh ..oooooh .
There have been more frequent sightings. How are the seal populations holding up?
THIS IS SO COOL, SHE IS VERY LUCKY.
IN RESPONSE TO THIS AND THE OTHER STORY OF THE SHART BETWEEN LAGUNA AND DANA POINT. I WILL BE IN THE WATER TODAY 06-24-08 AFTER WORK PADDLING OUT OF DOHENY STATE BEACH. IF ANYONE WANTS TO JOIN ME PLEASE MEET ME THERE AT AROUND 5PM. I WILL HAVE MY TRUSTY L.A VISOR ON.
“SHART” HAHA
I MEANT TO SAY, “SHARK”.
This shark needs to be hunted and killed. Under the cover of darkness without any animal lovers protesting. I have surfed and fished in these waters for years. Their is a unwritten code among surfers who also fish and surf. When a GWS attacks a swimmer or surfer you go out late at night fishing for it.
While I am so glad she was not hurt….why would anyone hunt down the shark and kill it? When we go into the ocean we are in their house, it’s not as if the shark is knocking on your front door wanting to kill you.
Our families best wishes to Bettina for a speedy recovery…..feel well soon.
yep that’s right– night fish it- unwritten code— we’re not fishing for some tommy cod in a sun pool Hooper– we’re sharkiiiiiiin…
why is this lady lieing??? It was me that knocked over her kayak. I guess it is much cooler to say a great white shark knocked her over than a simple hammer head shark like me..
I thought I was dining at a drive thru. Just like yours…they normally get the order wrong. I ordered the south of the border plate and got kayak. geesh.
Sharkhunter says:
“This shark needs to be hunted and killed. Under the cover of darkness without any animal lovers protesting. I have surfed and fished in these waters for years. Their is a unwritten code among surfers who also fish and surf. When a GWS attacks a swimmer or surfer you go out late at night fishing for it”
Just curious, dude. How do you identify the guilty shark? From the swimtrunks wrapped around it’s snout? You aren’t really serious, are you? Personally, I couldn’t imagine anyone making such a statement with a straight face. I bet you’re a big John Wayne fan, huh?
This story is so incredible I don’t believe a word of it. Still, it’s good she survived even if it’s all fabricated. Maybe she can sue someone. Howard Stern wants to get rid off all sharks and that may be a good idea just in case.
CRAZY! We were in catalina all weekend and we didnt hear about this at all!!!
wow… that is my biggest fear to be eaten alive… i’m so glad she survived… when i was reading this i was completly horrified..
Until we decide to do something to limit the over population of protected sea lions the sharks numbers will increase and more run ins with people will occur.
it was going after her beer
I watched the whole thing happen – it was scary
Geez! C’mon! “It comes right under the kayak, threw her in the air, threw the kayak in the air. When she landed, she landed on the back of the shark, on her two feet. It was incredible.”
Incredible indeed! Just how gullible does the OCR think we are? More likely, she spotted the shark and had a brief moment of temporary insanity and decided to take a free ride on the back of the shark.
I don’t know of any amusement parks that offer a ride on the back of a shark, but who knows, might be worth while!
The shark must not like white meat.
I have heard many stories of encounters with white sharks at catalina island, especaily at the west end, though i’m pretty sure that no one has been eaten yet. There have been white sharks there for many years, they’re still there, and they are going to be there for a good time more. As a free-diver, I have spearfished in that same area several times before, and this week-end I am going to be out there again…though I think I’ll stay away from west end…
Kill them. Get rid of the GWS that are a threat to public safety.
More sightings are proof that the seal population has gone out of control. They are not only a pain to fisherman, but also are way to favored by Pita. Give back the childrens pool to the kids in La Jolla. To bad we can’t spade or neuter these ocean dogs.
NO TAKERS ON PADDLING OUT THIS AFTERNOON?
DOHENY STATE BEACH?
5PM?
At least now, I’m not the only one who jumped the shark.
Seriously, those of you who think sharks are a danger to society and sea lion population is out of control need to get educated. Your comments are sadly ignorant.
Sharks are significant and important part of our entire eco-system. Their relevance in the food chain directly effects each and every one of our lives.
Go see the documentary Shark Water and you’ll forever have a different view on sharks.
Mark – it’s spay not “spade”.
Ever wonder why sharks never take more than one bite?
What shark wants to eat deoderant, shampoo, toothpaste, cow, pig, turkey, chicken, gum, cigarette smoke, beer, wine, and soda?
You humans think you’re much more delicious than you really are.
You smell horrible, you swim like clumsy cows, and you stink.
Talk about an egocentric point of view.
As a shark with good taste, I’d much rather eat something healthy.
Humans are utterly revolting.
Shark Protectors, you provide another baseless argument to support your opinion on protecting sharks that are a problem. Killing a few sharks that are a threat to humans in a surf area is a reasonable approach. It makes economical sense and provides a instant solution that addresses an iminent threat. Refrain from posting baseless opinions until you can provide 2 items. (1)Economical and (2)that provides a solution to the public safety threat.
Killing the shark provides a instant solution to a clear and present threat. I have not read one comment on this board that addresses and provides a reasonable cost effective way to solve the problem. Everyone states the scientific academic obvious that sharks are part of the food chain. Either you are too ignorant or lack realistic sense. Education does not provide results to threats. It only provides risk avoidance for the short term with a false sense of security. You need to KILL them.
I stay out of the ocean because of all the urine and feces from humans. Much scarier than a shark.
Bull sharks are more dangerous than great white sharks. Watch out…It is crazy that Bull sharks don’t receive more media attention.
“Sharkhunter Says:
June 24th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Shark Protectors, you provide another baseless argument to support your opinion on protecting sharks that are a problem. Killing a few sharks that are a threat to humans in a surf area is a reasonable approach. It makes economical sense and provides a instant solution that addresses an iminent threat. Refrain from posting baseless opinions until you can provide 2 items. (1)Economical and (2)that provides a solution to the public safety threat.
Killing the shark provides a instant solution to a clear and present threat. I have not read one comment on this board that addresses and provides a reasonable cost effective way to solve the problem. Everyone states the scientific academic obvious that sharks are part of the food chain. Either you are too ignorant or lack realistic sense. Education does not provide results to threats. It only provides risk avoidance for the short term with a false sense of security. You need to KILL them.”
How small minded people that feel they are superior to the life around them continue to propagate is something that I fail to comprehend.
Dear shark hunter. Stay out of the ocean. Stay out of the Jungle, Stay out of the forest. This is echonomical and the public will be safer without you around. There, I solved both of your issues and there was nothing “acedemic” about it!
The wildife on our planet do not present “a threat” , the humans do. If you decide to go where the wildlife are, then you need to reevaluate your intelect. Animals operate by instinct, we are supposed to be above that….
Bull Sharks have nothing on a white shark, tom, when a bull shark attacks you, it comes up rather slowly and maybe takes a bite out of your leg or arm. A White Shark, however, is a blitz attacker, and hits as hard as a bus…you’ll be lucky to escape with your life if one actualy attacks you.
WE DO NOT NEED TO KILL THE SHARKS to fix the problem…we need to kill their food supply: the seals. The @#$%ing tree huggers are pver protecting them, and their population is out of control. Kill the food, and the sharks will leave.
Kristi,
That was incredibly well put for someone who graduated with a GED.
You would think from some of the posts that if we were to exterminate every last shark that Armageddon would happen on earth. This is pseudoscience. Extinction is part of evolution of species. Survival of the fittest applies to humans, as well. Humans have every right as a species to adapt to whatever environment we so choose to enter. If the ocean is one of those environments, we have every right to survive. Killing sharks is our way of adapting. The forests, oceans, and jungles are equally ours.
Sharkhunter, you clearly have no respect for the ocean or any of the predators that live in it. I fish from a kayak and i dive, but I respect all sharks and wouldn’t kill one if someone paid me to. Sharks are on the decline worldwide and the occasional shark-human encounter is NOT reason to kill any sharks, period. Stay out of the ocean if you don’t like it.
By the way, great whites are protected by law.
Andrew,
I hate to break it to you. Whether you like it or not. People still kill great whites. Especially ones that have attacked or have been caught near surfing areas. There are a great number of surfers that really love to fish from a boat. When problematic shark(s) comes into an area I.E like the Sano GWS where it is frequented by ocean users, surfers/fishermen will kill the great white. I am not condoning breaking the law however I know this is a hush topic and occurs in the fishing/surfring circles.
Under the cover of darkness fishermen/surfers will begin to chum from a boat. When the shark is caught they put a shotgun slug round in it. Other methods is dragging it behind your boat and drowning it. Simple as that Andrew.
Again, Extinction is part of evolution of species. Survival of the fittest applies to humans, as well. Humans have every right as a species to adapt to whatever environment we so choose to enter. If the ocean is one of those environments, we have every right to survive. Killing sharks is our way of adapting. The forests, oceans, and jungles are equally ours.
“Survival of the fittest applies to humans, as well.”
Sweet, next time I’m hungry ’round lunchtime and I don’t have my wallet on me, I’ll just knife someone in the gut and take theirs. I wouldn’t want to want to get low blood sugar from not eating and lower my chances of survival, right? I’m sure nobody will mind, after all, if they die and I live it just means I had higher fitness. It’s nature.
I got an upclose and personal on a 15 foot great white off while sailing off the Mexico coast. He was so curious when I looked overboard at him, he just kept staring with he big gray eye and his large mouth opened – just like the movie ‘Jaws’! This shark stopped by just to check out our water filters we were trailing off the back of our boat.
I was driving through Nichols Canyon yesterday on my normal drive home and a big beautiful doe jumped out from someone’s driveway and across the road in front of me. Then she had to bolt straight up the side of hill, which was damn steep. All I could think was that I hoped she didn’t get hurt and she made it up the cliff. She was right on a curve and anyone else coming could have hit her. Nature.
The sharks belong in the water. Humans are overpopulated…way more than the Sea Dogs, whom I happen to love, even when they eat my bait. Humans have no natural predators left because we’ve killed them all or put them in zoos…well, we have Bush/Cheney…but I digress…we shouldn’t kill any animal because it attacks a human. With so many of us running around destroying everything in sight, it would be actually great to have something out there to control OUR population.
Survival of the fittest biotches! Sometimes you get the shark, sometimes he gets you. But intentionally hunting it down isn’t exactly a fair fight. If you go in the water, you run the risk. Do you hunt down and kill all of the Jellies that sting you too? R-tard…
Can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. And yeah, getting eaten alive would totally suck and I’m glad she lived to tell about it. But I would just want the shark to be damn sure that he hit a major artery or snapped my neck or something first. I don’t care if I get eaten by a shark…I would just want to die quickly…there are worse ways to go. Fire? Plane Crash? I’ll take the shark thanks…
i love sharks i am going to be a mirin biolegest i love the ocean i am going this friday to the beach. thank you for your patice to read this bye!!
if a bear attacks someone in alaska the authorities hunt and destroy it. Just a thought.
I can’t believe the poor grammar in this post – doesn’t anyone proofread these prior to publishing, particularly when they reside on OCRegister.com’s own website??
buffiem2003 Says: How would you feel if a rapist got to your kid? Same thing here. Any animal that would dare threaten me would go the way of the dodo. On the other hand; lets not kill it and wait until it kills more and more people just so we can be kind to it. Sarcasam intended and implied. Animals do activally seek and destroy; without you ‘entering’ their so-called territory. The taipan snake for example; activally seeks and runs after people, regardless if paths are crossed or not.
Ever see ‘ghosts in the darkness’? That film is true to life, and shows animals DO activally seek and destroy, even if its for fun.
I don’t like not being at the top of the food chain…
been thinking a kayak is a safe way to play in the ocean, not trolling for great whites with my arms and legs…
this article kind of helps… and also kind of doesn’t…
have a nice day everyone!
I have learned in Costa Rica that Coca Cola is the best way to kill fish with just one drope of coke in the fish mouth it kills it instanly, so I always use a bottle of Coke in the kayak in case as a fish repelent. I drope all the drink of coke in the kayak and that goes to the water and keep the fish away. Try it and you will see the efects on the fish.
Regards
Ralph Solano
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Costa Rica Wild Fishing
What about Pepsi? Does it work also? Diet?
(yes, i’m laughing)
Bull Sharks have nothing on a white shark, tom, when a bull shark attacks you, it comes up rather slowly and maybe takes a bite out of your leg or arm. A White Shark, however, is a blitz attacker, and hits as hard as a bus…you’ll be lucky to escape with your life if one actualy attacks you.
WE DO NOT NEED TO KILL THE SHARKS to fix the problem…we need to kill their food supply: the seals. The @#$%ing tree huggers are pver protecting them, and their population is out of control. Kill the food, and the sharks will leave.
Bluewatersniper,
Killing the sharks food would only increase the number of shark attacks. A shark has the instinct to survive, like said earlier, survival of the fittest. A shark would attack and eat a human if it could not find a sea dog. Driving a shark out of its territory is not that easy. Kill its food source and it will find another. Adaptation as some like to call it. True, they have a large population, but humans have an even larger one. Where is our population control? Killing sea lions will not make sharks leave, it willl only punish another species for something they have no control over. Killing a shark is perhaps a quick fix, but a short termed one. How much longer will it be until a new shark moves in on the territory? A territory rightly the sharks, btw.
Killing anything won’t solve the problem. What about cows and such? Are they forming plots to kill us to take revenge? When we kill, we know what we are doing. Sharks have no hands, they can’t figure out what things are without using their mouth. And mostly, who ever went to a shark, asked it if they were doing this on purpose, and got an answer? We don’t know what sharks are thinking. All we can do is assume, and everyone knows what that means.
You have a better chance of being killed by a lightening strike than by a shark. Are we going to all get together to kill those too? It would be illogical (and impossible) to hunt lightening strikes, so why do we bother with sharks? Sure they look scary, but then, who are we to judge? They were around a lot longer than us, we have no right to invade their territory. Did all the pigs get together and hunt down all the wolves just so the pigs might live a little longer? Fact is all things that are alive die at some point. And there are much worse ways to go.
Miracles still happen today. But what a scare that must ve been.
I have a question I’m hoping someone can answer.
In selecting the color of your next kayak, is there a COLOR you can choose which REPELS SHARKS? Particularly when mounted with a peddle (ingenious but) system that mimic penguins propulsion, is there such thing as a “SHARK SAFE COLOUR”?