California kayaker is knocked into ocean by shark in notorious waters

A shark knocked a fisherman off his kayak about a mile off the California coast in a terrifying run-in that forced the man to swim back to shore.

The kayaker was in the water near Leffingwell Landing in San Luis Obispo County Monday when he felt something striking his boat from underneath, knocking him into the water, authorities said.

The fisherman managed to get back on his kayak and tried to paddle back to the shore, “but punctures in the hull caused the kayak to take on water, forcing him to swim to shore,” the Cambria Fire Department said in a statement.

The man wasn’t injured and was able to swim back to the shore. Fire officials sent a boat and recovered the man’s kayak and fishing gear, along with some personal belongings.

After looking at the photos of the damaged kayak, Dr. Chris Lowe from the California State University Long Beach (CSULB) Shark Lab said that “it was reasonable to assume the kayak had been struck by a shark.”

Cambria fire officials urged people to exercise additional caution in the area, remain aware of their surroundings, and avoid entering the water near visible shark activity.

Last week, authorities told swimmers and surfers to steer clear of the water at Lovers Point Beach in Pacific Grove after reports of shark activity near the Monterey Bay destination.

The Pacific Grove Police Department said that recommendation was issued out of an abundance of caution following reports that a seal had been bitten in the area, leaving blood in the water.

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