If you suffer from galeophobia, the fear of sharks, the following footage may be difficult to watch.
This California surfer had an extraordinarily close encounter with a massive great white shark Wednesday morning when the animal swam directly toward his board before making a sharp turn and splashing him as it sped away.
The encounter occurred October 28th near Pier Avenue in Oceano, just south of Pismo Beach, and was captured on drone video by local photographer David Steiner. The shark, estimated to measure between 12 and 15 feet long, approached several surfers before coming within feet of Oceano resident Joel Hendrix.
Steiner, who regularly documents sharks along California’s Central Coast, shared the footage through his Instagram account, Caveman_476. He described the sighting as one of the clearest shark encounters he has recorded.
Great White Sharks Are Regular Visitors to California’s Central Coast
Great white sharks are native to California’s coastal waters, where larger individuals feed on marine mammals, including seals and sea lions. Although encounters between sharks and surfers can be alarming, attacks resulting in injury remain uncommon.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, fewer than 250 documented shark incidents have occurred in California since 1950. The agency notes that most interactions between white sharks and humans are not believed to be deliberate predatory attempts.
The department also advises against entering the water in areas where white sharks have recently been observed or are actively feeding.
Wednesday’s encounter ended without injury, but Steiner’s footage provides an unusually clear look at just how close a large great white shark can come to someone sitting on a surfboard.
