75 yards off shore, in a wet suit AVILA BEACH, Calif. — A woman was killed Tuesday in an apparent shark attack (search) as she swam near a pier on the Central California coast, officials said. "The wounds are very indicative of a shark attack," said California Department of Fish and Game (search) spokeswoman Chamois L. Andersen. Port San Luis Harbor District operations manager Casey Nielsen said officials were working with wildlife experts to determine what type of animal killed the swimmer in the 8:15 a.m. attack. The victim, whose name was withheld, died at the scene, San Luis Obispo County sheriff's Sgt. Robin Weckerly said. The local woman, believed to be in her 50s, was swimming about 75 yards offshore in a full wetsuit and swim fins when she was attacked, possibly after being mistaken for a seal, Andersen said. "Her friend on the beach noticed she was swimming with some seals," Andersen said. "All of a sudden, the seals dispersed rapidly and a large breach of water, this large upwelling of water, occurred in the vicinity of where the woman was swimming. Very indicative of a shark attack." The friend screamed for help from lifeguards, who were training nearby. They recovered the body. An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday, Andersen said. The beach, located south of Morro Bay (search) about 200 miles northwest of Los Angeles, was closed by the port authority. Fatal shark attacks are extremely rare. There have been nine fatalities in California since record-keeping began in the 1950s, and 105 incidents -- fatal and nonfatal -- along the entire West Coast during the same period, according to Fish and Game statistics. The victims of the most recent California attacks both survived. A surfer was struck in late November off of Sonoma County, and another surfer was attacked off Marin County in May 2002. Nielsen said swimmers should avoid waters where there are signs that wildlife are feeding.
Hmmm..looks like a seal+ is in the middle of a bunch of seals+ cant get away as fast as a seal+ hungry shark= Feel bad for her, but she displayed a serious lack of judgement and paid the price.
bummer sorry to hear that it seems impossible to have a shark death be that close, and scary to know it can be damyam!
I look at it this way. I would probably swim with the seals too. I mean c'mon. They are seals. Most of us would probably do it. Also, think about being one of those lifeguards in training. Joline Bait, I know it's your first day and all, but would you go pull her out of the blood soaked water filled with sharks. We'll be waiting here on the beach for you. Ba bye.
I gotta agree, it was pretty dumb of her to practically dress up like a seal and swim around in shark infested water.
Screw it. The movie Jaws swore me off of swimming in salt water forever. I will gladly lie on the beach and drink Coronas, but you will never catch me in the ocean in water deeper than my knees.
We just got back from FL and the morning we were leaving we saw 3 sharks ranging from 3-7' cruising in knee deep water.
with a cast including Naomi Judd, Morgan Fairchild, Meredith Baxter Bernie, Joan Van Ark, and Judith Light. all the key parts, including the shark, are female. the shark had to go in close to beach because her no good ex was abusing her.
