Erica Fox, a 55-year-old woman was swimming with her ocean swimming pod, the Kelp Krawlers, at Lover’s Point in Pacific Grove on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the Central Coast of California, was reportedly attacked by a shark (see here and about a previous attack here), according to fellow Kelp Krawler Sara Rubin.

Relative to the total number of ocean-goers throughout the state of California, shark attacks are rare and shark attack fatalities are even more rare (see list below), but the California coast is a breeding ground for juvenile great white sharks that feed off the stingrays in near-shore waters.  The mothers come into shore to give birth to their 4-5 foot babies.  When they get large enough, the sharks then head out to offshore waters.

Steven Robles is shown above on the left after being rescued after a great white shark that bit him in Manhattan Beach (photo: Laura Joyce of Goofy Foot Photography).

Shark attacks have also occurred along or near the California Channel Islands, including the leopard shark that left one of its teeth in the torso of Charlotte Brynn during her August 2013 attempt across the Catalina Channel. She abandoned the swim due to hypothermia and found the shark’s tooth as she was dressing onshore (which she discussed here and is shown above on right).

Below is a list of California shark incidents that have been documented by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife since 1950.

• October 1950 at 12:00 pm at San Diego’s Imperial Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• May 1952 at 2:00 pm at San Diego’s Imperial Beach, a minor attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• December 1952 at 2:00 pm at Monterey Lovers Point, a fatal attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• February1955 at 12:00 pm at Monterey Pacific Grove, a minor attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• August 1956 at 4:30 pm at San Luis Obispo Pismo Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• April 1957 at 1 :30 pm at San Luis Obispo Morro Bay, a fatal attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• October 1958 at San Diego’s Coronado Strand, a major attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• May 1959 at 5:30 pm at San Francisco Baker Beach, a fatal attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• June 1959 at 5:00 pm San Diego’s La Jolla , a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• July 1959 at 7:30 pm at San Diego’s La Jolla, a minor attack by hammerhead shark while freediving
• October 1959 at 3:00 pm at Sonoma Bodega Rock, a surface attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• November 1959 at 10:30 am Los Angeles County Malibu, Paradise Cove, a minor attack by blue shark while freediving
• April 1960 at 2:00 pm at Marin Tomales Point, a minor attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• May 1960 at 1:00 pm at Santa Cruz, Hidden Beach, Aptos, a major attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• May 1961 at 8:30 am Marin Tomales Point, an attack by Great White Shark while freediving at 25-foot depth
• August 1961 at 9:30 am at Sonoma County’s Salmon Creek Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• January 1962 at 10:30 am at the Farallon Islands, a major attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving
• November 1962 at 12:45 pm at the Farallon Islands, a major attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving
• January 1964 at 12:00 pm at the Farallon Islands, a major attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving
• January 1966 at 11:00 am at Monterey County’s Cypress Point, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• July 1968 at 11:00 am at Sonoma County’s Bodega Rock, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• September 1969 at 11:20 am at Marin County’s Tomales Point, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• July 1971 at Santa Barbara County’s Purisma Point Hookah, a major attack by Great White Shark while diving
• October 1971 at 2:00 pm at Sonoma County’s Sea Ranch, a major attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving at 15-foot depth
• May 1972 at 1:30 pm at Marin County’s Tomales Point, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• May 1974 at 11:30 am at Marin County’s Tomales Point, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• July 1974 at Mendocino County’s Albion, a minor attack by Great White Shark while freediving at 25-foot depth
• August 1974 at San Mateo County’s San Gregorio State Beach, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• September 1974 at 5:30 pm at San Mateo County’s Franklin Point, a minor attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving
• September 1974 at 5:30 pm at San Mateo County’s Franklin Point, a minor attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving
• September 1974 at 1:35 pm at the Farallon Islands, a major attack by Great White Shark while hookah diving at 28-foot depth
• September 1974 at 7:30 am Monterey County’s Point Sur, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• July 1975 at 1:30 pm at Santa Barbara County’s Point Conception, Perch Rock, an attack by Great White Shark while hookah diving
• July 1975 at 2:30 pm at Santa Barbara County’s Point Conception, a major attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving
• August 1975 at 1:30 pm at Mendocino County’s Usal Creek, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• December 1975 at 12:00 pm at the Farallon Islands, a major attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving at 20-foot depth
• October 1976 at 2:30 pm at Humboldt County’s Moonstone Beach, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• December 1976 at 9:00 am at San Miguel Island, a major attack by Great White Shark while hookah diving
• August 1977 at Marin County’s Tomales Point, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• August 1978 at 12:45 pm at Santa Cruz County’s Pajaro Dunes, a minor attack by shark of unknown species while swimming
• March 1979 am 10:00 am at San Mateo County’s Año Nuevo Island, an attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving
• October 1980 at 9:30 am at Humboldt County’s Moonstone Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• December 1981 at Monterey County’s Spanish Bay, a fatal attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• February 1982 at 11:00 am at Sonoma County’s Stillwater Cove, a major attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving
• July 1982 at 11:00 am at San Luis Obispo County’s Point Buchon, an attack by Great White Shark while paddleboarding
• September 1982 at Mendocino County’s Bear Harbor, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving at 12-foot depth
• September 1982 at 8:00 am at Monterey County’s Monastery Beach, a minor attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving at 40-foot depth
• September 1984 at 8:30 am at San Mateo County’s Pigeon Point, a fatal attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• September 1984 at 3:30 pm at San Diego County’s Mission Beach, a minor attack by blue shark while swimming
• September 1984 at 10:00 am Marin County’s Tomales Point, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving at 10-foot depth
• February 1985 at 12:45 pm at San Miguel Island, a minor attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving
• May 1985 at 11:00 am at Orange County’s Seal Beach, a minor attack by a shark of unknown species while surfing
• September 1985 at Marin County’s Tomales Point, Elephant Rock, an attack by Great White Shark while freediving at 14-foot depth
• October 1985 at 4:00 pm at Santa Barbara County’s Point Conception, a minor attack by a shark of unknown species while hookah diving at 15-foot depth
• December 1986 at 9:00 am at Monterey County’s Monastery Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving at 38-foot depth
• August 1987 at 7:30 am at San Mateo County’s Half Moon Bay, Tunitas Creek, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 1987 at 5:00 pm at Santa Cruz County’s Davenport Light, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• April 1988 at San Luis Obispo County’s Morro Rock, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• August 1988 at 9:00 am at Del Norte County’s Klamath River, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• January 1989 at 10:15 am at Los Angeles County’s Malibu Beach, a fatal attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• September 1989 at 12:00 pm at the Farallon Islands, a major attack by Great White Shark while hookah diving at 25-foot depth
• January 1990 at San Mateo County’s Montara, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• August 1990 at 5:00 pm Humboldt County’s Trinidad Head, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• September 1990 at 5:00 pm at Humboldt County’s Trinidad State Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• September 1990 at 1:00 pm at Sonoma County’s North of Jenner, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• November 1990 at 3:00 pm at Monterey County’s Monastery Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving
• July 1991 at 9:30 am at Santa Cruz County’s Davenport, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 1991 at 7:30 am at Santa Cruz County’s Davenport, Scott Creek, 1 mile north, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 1991 at Marin County’s Point Reyes, an attack by Great White Shark while hookah diving at 25-foot depth
• December 1991 at 3:00 pm at Humboldt County’s Shelter Cove, an attack by Great White Shark while hookah diving
• August 1992 at 8:15 pm at Del Norte County’s Klamath River, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 1992 at 11:00 am at San Miguel’s Castle Rock, a minor attack by Great White Shark while hookah diving at 47-foot depth
• November 1992 at 2:00 pm at San Nicolas Island, a minor attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving at 72-foot depth
• November 1992 at 1:00 pm at San Mateo County’s Año Nuevo State Reserve, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• November 1992 at 3:30 pm at San Diego County’s San Onofre State Beach, a minor attack by a shark of unknown species while freediving
• March 1993 at 2:30 pm at San Mateo County’s Pedro Point, Pacifica, an attack by Great White Shark while freediving at 15-foot depth
• August 1993 at 2:00 pm at Mendocino County’s Fort Bragg – Abalone Point, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving at 5-foot depth
• October 1993 at 2:30 pm at Sonoma County’s Jenner, Goat Rock Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• October 1993 at 4:30 pm at Humboldt County’s Bunkers, Eureka, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• December 1994 at 9:00 am at San Miguel’s Harris Point, a fatal attack by Great White Shark while hookah diving while submerged
• June 1995 at San Diego County’s La Jolla Beach, a minor attack by Great White Shark while kKayaking
• June 1995 at 5:30 pm at Monterey County’s Point Lobos, outer Bluefish Cove, a major attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving at 40-foot depth
• September 1995 at 4:00 pm at Humboldt County’s Shelter Cove, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• September 1995 at 5:30 pm at Santa Cruz County’s Davenport Landing, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• August 1996 at 11:15 am at Marin County’s Tomales Point, Bird Rock, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving at 18-foot depth
• October 1996 at 7:30 am at Sonoma County’s Salmon Creek Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 1996 at 1:00 pm at Marin County’s Dillon Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• November 1996 at 8:30 am at Sonoma County’s Salmon Creek Beach, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• August 1997 at Humboldt County’s Moonstone Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• August 1998 at 2:15 pm at Marin County’s Stinson Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• November 1999 at Santa Cruz County’s Waddell Reef, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• September 2000 at 9:00 am at San Mateo County’s Half Moon Bay, Pillar Point, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• November 2000 at 4:30 pm at Humboldt County’s Bunkers, Eureka, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• May 2002 at 2:00 pm at Marin County’s Stinson Beach, off Bolinas Lagoon, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• September 2002 in early am at Humboldt County’s Moonstone Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• November 2002 at 9:45 am at Sonoma County’s Salmon Creek Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• August 2003 at 8:30 am at San Luis Obispo County’s Avila Beach, a fatal attack by Great White Shark while swimming (see here)
• May 2004 at 11:00 am at Sonoma County’s Salmon Creek Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• June 2004 at 9:00 am at San Diego County’s San Onofre State Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• August 2004 at 4:30 pm at Mendocino County’s Kibesillah Rock, a fatal attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• August 2004 at 5:30 pm at Orange County’s 204’s, San Clemente, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 2004 at 1:45 pm at Orange County’s Huntington Beach, Tower 16, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 2004 at 3:30 pm at San Luis Obispo County’s Pismo Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 2004 at 9:30 am at Marin County’s Limantour Beach, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• November 2004 at 1:30 pm at Humboldt County’s Bunkers, Eureka, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• August 2005 at 11:00 am at San Diego County’s La Jolla Beach, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 2005 at 11:00 am at Sonoma County’s Salmon Creek Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 2005 at 11:00 am at Del Norte County’s Klamath River Mouth, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• November 2005 at 4:45 pm at San Mateo County’s Half Moon Bay, Mavericks, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• November 2005 at 7:15 am at San Francisco County’s Ocean Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• January 2006 at 10:30 pm at Santa Cruz County’s Santa Cruz, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• June 2006 at 11:10 am at Monterey County’s Cannery Row, Monterey, an attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving while submerged
• December 2006 at 12:00 pm at Marin County’s Dillon Beach, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• June 2007 at 10:00 am at Los Angeles County’s Will Rogers State Beach, a minor attack by a shark of unknown species while swimming
• July 2007 at 11:00 am at Ventura County’s Faria Beach, a minor attack by a shark of unknown species while swimming
• July 2007 at 10:15 am at San Mateo County’s Bean Hollow, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• July 2007 at 9:00 am at Los Angeles County’s Malibu Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while paddleboarding
• July 2007 at 11:00 pm at San Diego County’s Imperial Beach, an attack by a shark of unknown species while surfing
• August 2007 at 11:00 am at Monterey County’s Marina State Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• September 2007 at 12:00 pm at Humboldt County’s Moonstone Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• September 2007 at 11:30 am at Los Angeles County’s Santa Monica Beach, a minor attack by a shark of unknown species while surfing
• October 2007 at 8:30 pm at Los Angeles County’s Venice Pier, a minor attack by a leopard shark while surfing
• March 2008 at 7:00 am at Orange County’s Huntington Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• April 2008 at 7:00 am at San Diego County’s Solana Beach, a fatal attack by Great White Shark while swimming (see here)
• June 2008 at 9:00 am at Catalina Island’s West Cove, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• September 2008 at 10:30 am at Santa Barbara County’s Surf Beach, Lompoc, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• April 2009 at 7:00 am at San Diego County’s San Diego, an attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• August 2009 at 4:30 pm at San Diego County’s Terramar Beach, a minor attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• August 2009 at 6:30 pm at Orange County’s Huntington Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 2009 at 5:30 pm at San Diego County’s San Onofre State Beach, a minor attack by a shark of unknown species while surfing
• November 2009 at 5:00 pm at Santa Cruz County’s Davenport Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• July 2010 at 3:15 pm at San Diego County’s San Onofre State Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while paddleboarding
• July 2010 at 6:30 pm at San Luis Obispo County’s Pismo Beach, a minor attack by leopard shark while surfing
• August 2010 at 12:40 pm at Santa Barbara County’s Near Oil Rig Hondo, Gaviota, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• August 2010 at 10:00 am at San Mateo County’s Pigeon Point, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• October 2010 at 9:00 am at Santa Barbara County’s Surf Beach, Lompoc, a fatal attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• June 2011 at 5:00 pm at San Diego County’s La Jolla’s Children’s Pool, an attack by sevengill shark while freediving
• June 2011 at 1:30 pm at San Diego County’s San Onofre State Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• September 2011 at 12:30 pm at Humboldt County’s Samoa Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 2011 at 7:00 am at Monterey County’s Marina State Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• November 2011 at 11:30 am at San Mateo County’s Pigeon Point, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• May 2012 at 7:30 am at Catalina Island, an attack by Great White Shark while paddleboarding
• May 2012 at 1:30 am at San Luis Obispo County’s Cambria, Leffingwell Landing, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• July 2012 at 8:30 am at Santa Cruz County’s Santa Cruz, Pleasure Point, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• July 2012 at 6:45 am at Los Angeles County’s Topanga Beach, a minor attack by a shark of unknown species while surfing
• October 2012 at 6:30 pm at Santa Cruz County’s Davenport Landing, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 2012 at 11:00 am at Santa Barbara County’s Surf Beach, Lompoc, a fatal attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 2012 at 12:00 pm at Humboldt County’s Bunkers, Humboldt Bay, north jetty, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• June 2013 at 4:00 pm at San Mateo County’s Pedro Point, Pacifica, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• August 2013 at 1:00 pm at San Mateo County’s Half Moon Bay, Pillar Point, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• August 2013 at 11:00 pm at Santa Barbara County’s Butterfly Beach, Santa Barbara, a minor attack by a salmon shark while swimming
• October 2013 at 8:30 am at Humboldt County’s Bunkers, North Jetty, Humboldt Bay, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• July 2014 at 7:30 am at San Luis Obispo County’s Oceano Dunes State Beach, Oceano, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• September 2014 at 6:45 pm at Santa Cruz County’s Manresa Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 2014 at 5:30 pm at Santa Barbara County’s Vandenberg AFB, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 2014 at 11:00 am at Santa Barbara County’s Vandenberg AFB, a major attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• October 2014 at 2:00 pm at Santa Barbara County’s Vandenberg AFB, a major attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• October 2014 at 2:30 pm at Santa Barbara County’ Leadbetter Point, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• December 2014 at 11:30 am at San Luis Obispo County’s Montana de Oro State Park, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• July 2015 at 8:45 am at Orange County’s Huntington Beach, Lifeguard Tower 17, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• August 2015 at 7:30 am at Santa Barbara County’s Gaviota State Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• August 2015 at 10:15 am at San Luis Obispo County’s Morro Rock, Morro Bay, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• September 2015 at 3:00 pm at Ventura County’s Deer Creek, Malibu/Ventura, a minor attack by a hammerhead shark while kayaking
• September 2015 at 5:30 pm at Los Angeles County’s El Pescador State Beach, Malibu, an attack by Great White Shark while paddleboarding
• September 2015 at 11:00 am at Santa Cruz Island’s Yellow Banks, a minor attack by a hammerhead shark while freediving
• September 2015 at 11:00 am at Santa Barbara County’s Horseshoe Rock, Santa Barbara, a minor attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• May 2016 at 3:00 pm at Orange County’s Corona del Mar State Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• September 2016 at 9:00 am at Santa Barbara County’s Refugio State Beach, a minor attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• September 2016 during afternoon at Humboldt County’s Bunkers, South Jetty, Humboldt Bay, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• March 2017 at 4:30 pm at Monterey County’s San Carlos Beach, Monterey, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• April 2017 at 5:30 pm at San Diego County’s Church, San Onofre State Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• July 2017 at 11:00 am at Santa Cruz County’s Steamer Lane, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• July 2017 at 8:00 am at Santa Barbara County’s Goleta Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while paddleboarding
• July 2017 at 11:15 am at Santa Barbara County’s Stearns Warf, Santa Barbara, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• August 2017 at 10:45 am at San Mateo County’s Bean Hollow, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• September 2017 at Farallones’ Mirounga Bay, an attack by Great White Shark while hookah diving
• November 2017 at 1:30 pm at Monterey County’s Pebble Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• December 2017 at 3:00 pm at Marin County’s Drake’s Estero, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• June 2018 at 6:00 pm at San Diego County’s Oceanside, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• August 2018 at 8:00 pm at Orange County’s Huntington Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• September 2018 at 7:00 am at San Diego County’s Beacon’s Beach – Encinitas, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• October 2018 at 10:00 am at the Farallon Islands, a major attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving while submerged
• January 2019 at 2:00 pm at San Luis Obispo County’s Montana de Oro State Park, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• May 2019 at Sonoma County’s Salmon Creek Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• September 2019 at 12:00 pm at San Diego County’s Solana Beach, an attack by a thresher hark while surfing
• October 2019 at 8:00 am at Catalina Island’s Ship Rock, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• December 2019 at 3:15 pm at Santa Rosa Island’s Talcott Shoals, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• March 2020 at 7:00 pm at Santa Cruz County’s Santa Cruz, Pleasure Point, an attack by Great White Shark while paddleboarding
• May 2020 at 2:30 pm at Santa Barbara County’s Padaro Lane, Carpenteria, a minor attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• May 2020 at 1:30 pm at Santa Cruz County’s Manresa State Beach, a fatal attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• May 2020 at 7:30 am at Humboldt County’s Shelter Cove, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• June 2020 at 4:00 pm at Santa Cruz Island’s San Pedro Point, an attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving at 35-foot depth
• August 2020 at 5:42 pm at Los Angeles County’s Bluff Cove, Palos Verdes, a minor attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• August 2020 at 5:00 pm at Humboldt County’s Shelter Cove, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• December 2020 at 2:00 pm at San Diego County’s Coronado, an attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• June 2021 at 9:00 am at San Mateo County’s Gray Whale State Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while freediving
• June 2021 at 7:15 am at Catalina Island’s Parson’s Landing, a minor attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• July 2021 at 9:15 am at San Luis Obispo County’s Cambria, Leffingwell Landing, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• July 2021 at 11:15 am at Monterey County’s Moss Landing Jetty, an attack by a shark of unknown species while surfing
• October 2021 at 9:00 am at Sonoma County’s Salmon Creek Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• December 2021 at 4:00 pm at Sonoma County’s Salmon Creek Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• December 2021 at 10:40 am at San Luis Obispo County’s Morro Strand State Beach, a fatal attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• February 2022 at 11:30 am at San Miguel Island’s Northeast side, a major attack by Great White Shark while scuba diving
• June 2022 at 10:30 am at Monterey County’s Lovers Point, a major attack by Great White Shark while swimming (see here)
• August 2022 at 11:30 am at Monterey County’s Lovers Point, an attack by Great White Shark while paddleboarding
• September 2022 at 4:00 pm at Mendocino County’s Mackerricher State Park – Laguna Pt., an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• October 2022 at 3:30 pm at Humboldt County’s Centerville Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• October 2022 at 2:30 pm at San Luis Obispo County’s Cayucos Pier, a minor attack by a shark of unknown species while surfing
• October 2022 at 5:15 pm at Monterey County’s Otter Point – Pacific Grove, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• November 2022 at 10:15 am at San Diego County’s Del Mar Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• August 2023 at 1:00 pm at San Mateo County’s Bean Hollow, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• October 2023 at 10:15 am at Marin County’s Wildcat Beach – Point Reyes, a fatal attack by a shark of unknown species while swimming
• October 2023 at 3:30 pm at San Mateo County’s Linda Mar Beach, Pacifica, a minor attack by a shark of unknown species while surfing
• April 2024 at 6:00 pm at San Luis Obispo County’s Montana de Oro State Park, a minor attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• May 2024 at 7:45 pm at Orange County’s T-Street San Clemente, an attack by a shark of unknown species while surfing
• June 2024 at 9:00 am at San Diego County’s Del Mar, a major attack by Great White Shark while swimming (see here)
• July 2024 at 10:30 am at Santa Barbara County’s Hollister Ranch, an attack by a shark of unknown species while kayaking
• July 2024 at 8:00 am at Santa Barbara County’s Gaviota State Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• September 2024 at 3:40 pm at Orange County’s Dana Point, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• November 2024 at 11:00 am at Orange County’s Dana Point, an attack by Great White Shark while paddleboarding
• December 2024 at 10:30 am at Marin County’s Drake’s Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• May 2025 at 10:30 am at San Diego County’s Torrey Pines State Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• May 2025 at 2:00 pm at San Mateo County’s Montara, an attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• July 2025 at 10:30 am at Santa Cruz County’s Rio Del Mar Beach, an attack by Great White Shark while swimming
• July 2025 at Del Norte County’s Wilson Creek – Crescent City, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking
• September 2025 at 1:30 am 12 miles offshore Catalina Island in the channel, a minor attack by a shark of unknown species while channel swimming (see here)
• November 2025 at 6:00 pm at Los Angeles County’s Palos Verdes, an attack by a sevengill shark while scuba diving while submerged
• December 2025 at 8:50 am at Sonoma County’s Salmon Creek Beach, a major attack by Great White Shark while surfing
• December 2025 at 3:30 pm at Santa Cruz County’s Santa Cruz Harbor, an attack by Great White Shark while kayaking

When Was The First Documented Shark Attack?

The answer to the question above is shark attacks have been happening for quite some time.

Ancient shark attacks have been documented. These reports vary from 5th century Greek writings to 8th century BC illustrations of shark attacks.

But shark attacks happened even before then. Images above are from the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Volume 38, August 2021, 103065. 3000-year-old shark attack victim from Tsukumo shell-mound, Okayama, Japan.

The oldest documented victim is a man who was killed 3,000 years ago during Japan’s Jōmon period (c. 14,000 and 300 BC). The man’s remains were found near the Seto Inland Sea in 1920 by researchers [see images above]. Based on the bite patterns on the Jōmon man’s skeleton and reports of more modern attacks in the region, the most probable shark was either a great whitshark de shark or a tiger shark.

Marine biologists have noted that great white sharks have a historical presence in the Seto Inland Sea.

The skeleton of the Jōmon man, known as Tsukumo No. 24 (or Individual No. 24), was discovered in 1920 in a shell mound cemetery from the Tsukumo archaeological site in Japan’s Okayama Prefecture, near Shikoku Island. The skeleton dates back to between 1370 and 1010 BC. Researchers found over 790 deep, serrated injuries, including puncture wounds and deep gouges that reached his bone. These wounds are consistent with a large shark attack.

It was assumed that Tsukumo No. 24 was likely a fisherman or diving for shellfish when he was attacked. Scientists from Oxford University believe he lost his left hand trying to defend himself as the shark severed his leg and tore into his abdomen, resulting in a rapid, fatal death. The use of forensic techniques in 2021, including 3D modeling of the bite marks, was crucial in confirming that the injuries were from a shark and that the man was alive during the attack. 

After the attack, colleagues were able to recover his body, although his right leg was never found. His remains were given a proper burial in the community cemetery.

The Seto Inland Sea of Japan, with its abundance of marine life, saw a series of shark attacks in the 1990s that were carried out by great white sharks. Unprovoked attacks remain rare, but over history have never dropped to zero. Japanese often use swim streamers as a shark deterrent (as seen in the Channel Swim Japan video below).

https://youtu.be/-Whx2wW_4i0?si=0DwbezSLWKk__T-u&t=70

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