"Aggressive" great white shark prompts closure of Huntington Beach coastline
An "aggressive" great white shark spotted off the Huntington Beach coastline prompted the temporary closure of the beach on Tuesday.
In a social media post, Huntington Beach Fire Department officials said they received a "credible report" of a 10- to 12-foot great white shark near Lifeguard Tower 16.
"The shark was reportedly circling, a behavior classified as aggressive under Marine Safety's shark response protocols," the post said.
Out of an abundance of caution, city officials opted to close the beach from Seapoint to the Huntington Beach Pier, approximately a mile north and south of the lifeguard tower.
"We do see animals from time to time. So, is it unusual? No. But the size of the shark is bigger than we normally encounter," said HBFD Battalion Chief Doug Leach.
Firefighters said the stretch of beach would remain closed until at least 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
"Please follow all posted signs and instructions from lifeguards. Public safety remains our top priority," the post said.
City marine safety personnel were expected to continue monitoring the situation after posting warning signs on the beach and notifying beachgoers.
On Wednesday, the surfer who spotted the shark spoke with CBS LA.
"When the wave stood up, you could see the sun through the back, and so then I saw the shark fully through the back of the wave swimming basically straight towards me," said Patrick, who was foil surfing Tuesday afternoon when the shark suddenly appeared. "It was probably 20 to 40 feet away from me."
He said he doesn't believe the shark was coming after him; rather, they were just crossing paths. He said he beelined for the shore after seeing the shark with something in its mouth.
Chris Lowe, a California State Long Beach Marine Biology Professor and Shark Lab Director, said this is typically the time of year when sharks move up and down the coast. With El Niño now impacting the oceans, what was a "sharky summer" is turning into a "sharky fall."
"It's not over yet. So, we're just getting into the thick of the season, so this could go well into December," Lowe said.
