The icy ocean water in Sonoma County wasn't the only thing that sent shivers down the spine of a surfer riding the waves Friday.
The surfer was paddling in the water off North Salmon Creek, approximately 300 yards from shore, around 8 a.m. when a shark bit his hand. The surfer's injuries were not considered life-threatening, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Marine Unit already had personnel nearby, who quickly located the surfer on shore after he got out of the water on his own. Medics treated the man's wound, but the surfer declined an ambulance ride, sheriff's officials said, preferring to drive himself to a nearby hospital.
“I'm very glad I didn't paddle out,” surfer Alex Valentin told the SF Standard on Friday. “I'm praying for the boy, hoping it was just a bite and that he gets back in the water soon.”
Sheriff's officials posted about the incident on social media and shared a photo of the surfboard with several puncture marks from the shark's teeth.
It is unclear what type of shark bit the surfer. But Salmon Creek, located about 70 miles north of San Francisco, is an area known for white shark activity, particularly during the winter months, when the animals feed near Tomales Point and the Farallon Islands before migrating out to sea, the Standard reported.
“While our waterways are beautiful, it is important to remain aware of the potential dangers they can present,” Sheriff's officials said in a statement Friday.
Still, shark bites are very rare in California. According to data compiled by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, there have been 227 documented shark incidents statewide since 1950, across all species, although white sharks account for nearly 200.
Of those, 117 resulted in non-fatal injuries, 94 involved no injuries, and only 16 were fatal.
There are over 50,000 rescues on California beaches per year on average, and about 6 shark incidents over the course of the year. same period between 2010 and 2021 according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
While the number of documented encounters has increased over the decades, experts emphasize that the risk to any individual swimmer or surfer has not increased significantly. The growth is largely attributed to more people entering the ocean more frequently (and better, more consistent reporting) rather than an increase in aggressive shark behavior.
Seven encounters with sharks have been documented in California waters this year, according to data from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The only other encounter that resulted in injury this year was in September when a shark bit a man trying to swim the more than 20 miles from Santa Catalina Island to San Pedro.
“Injuries remain extremely rare,” according to the agency, which grades Sharks do not typically prey on humans and most bites are believed to be exploratory or cases of mistaken identity.
