Overview
- The Monday morning encounter occurred 200 to 400 yards off Dillon Beach near Tomales Bay, where the surfer was bumped from below and his board was dented but he was unharmed.
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife investigators swabbed the damaged surfboard for DNA, and test results are expected to take time due to holiday delays.
- Marin County authorities posted caution signs at the beach, and a National Weather Service beach hazards statement warned of large waves, strong winds and constrained water rescues.
- The incident follows a Dec. 12 shark attack that injured a surfer at North Salmon Creek in Sonoma County and the Dec. 21 disappearance of triathlete Erica Fox off Lovers Point, where witnesses reported a shark sighting.
- The area sits within Northern California’s Red Triangle, a longstanding white shark hotspot where researchers conduct surveys, and officials note more seals and sea lions can increase predator activity and human-wildlife interactions.