A shark attack on a kayaker’s boat on Tuesday near a famous surfing spot in Santa Cruz has triggered a four-day swimming ban and closure of beaches in the area.
The attack was reported about a quarter of a mile from Steamer Lane, a popular surfing location, according to the Santa Cruz Fire Department. When the shark chomped on his boat, the kayaker was tossed into the water.
The kayaker was not injured, but his boat suffered “extensive damage,” the Fire Department said.
Steve Lawson told KPIX-TV in San Francisco that he thought he had hit a rock, but he then saw the shark “holding the front of my boat and he let go and I went over.”
Lawson, who has been kayaking for 25 years, was not fazed, telling the television news station that “things happen and it was not a big deal.”
But Santa Cruz officials aren’t taking any risks.