GREAT WHITE SPOTTED OF LJ

Locolajolla · Sep-02-2005, 10:23 AM

	Warning issued over possible shark

By Terry Rodgers
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
September 2, 2005
Beachgoers throughout a mile-long stretch of La Jolla were cautioned about the possible presence of a great white shark Wednesday afternoon.
The warnings were issued after lifeguards at Children's Pool beach spotted a distressed and bleeding harbor seal with an 18-inch bite mark on its body shortly before 4 p.m., said Lt. Nick Lerma, a spokesman for the San Diego Lifeguard Service.
adult seal, which appeared to have a crescent-shaped bite mark, was jumping in and out of the water erratically, Lerma said.
Lifeguards in rescue boats told beachgoers a half-mile north and south of Children's Pool about the injured seal.
"We knew there was a good likelihood that people would want to know, and we felt it was our obligation to tell them," Lerma said.
A fire department helicopter was dispatched to check the La Jolla coastline, but no sharks were spotted after a 20-minute search. No one was ordered out of the water and no beaches were closed, Lerma said.
The same procedure – advising beachgoers without closing beaches – was followed by state lifeguards in August 2003 when several great white sharks were spotted in the surf zone at San Onofre State Beach.
"Although we couldn't determine for certain that the seal's injuries were from a shark, we know sharks are out there and we know harbor seals are a natural prey item," Lerma said.
The injured seal was not seen yesterday, and no further warnings were issued.
Interactions between sharks and people historically have been highest during August, September and October, according to Ralph Collier, a white shark researcher from Canoga Park. The Children's Pool is the home base for a colony of nearly 200 harbor seals. White shark attacks on seals off La Jolla were last reported by eyewitnesses in November 2002 and January 2003.

?? fisherman · Sep-02-2005, 10:27 AM

Correction:

Your title is misleading.

No great white has been spotted off of LJ recently

The unknown fisherman

Afry · Sep-02-2005, 10:29 AM

"bleeding harbor seal with an 18-inch bite mark on its body"

Q: and the problem is.......

A: He was the only one

slydawg · Sep-02-2005, 10:30 AM

GREAT BITE SPOTTED!

?? fisherman · Sep-02-2005, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slydawg

GREAT BITE SPOTTED!

There ya go, much better!

The unknown fisherman

SAGE · Sep-02-2005, 10:49 AM

i bet they taste just like pork

Locolajolla · Sep-02-2005, 11:02 AM

well I doubt it was the lockness monster....

How many types of sharks can you name that frequent seal quarries in CA, live in cold water, cause seals to jump in and out of the water in sheer terror, and are capable of an 18 in crescent shaped bit mark. Life guard spotted the seal jumping frantically in and out of the water.

i think its safe to draw the conclusion that a whitey (or the workings of) was spotted.

ZZZZZ · Sep-02-2005, 11:05 AM

Last winter my friend was at donut holes off of Sunset cliffs. He saw a GWS about 12' + scared him out of the water.

I found this last summer on the 182. It had 3 baby Makos on it which we left alone. Orca, Mako, GWS. I don't know but looks like maybe a Orca bite.

Neill · Sep-02-2005, 11:09 AM

Orca's have been seen recently, I have seen the pics....

?? fisherman · Sep-02-2005, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locolajolla

i think its safe to draw the conclusion that a whitey (or the workings of) was spotted.

Really, then by who?? I suppose you have a name for this this shark too, could it be Casper the friendly white shark that has a heart and lets its prey go

Seriously though dude, if you want to draw the conclusion that a white is in the area and responsible for what happened to the seal thats fine, and I would have to agree that is probably a fairly good assumption and would be my guess as well, buuut..... I do know of another good canadate for that bite mark and most especially in that area, and yes it's another shark which I have seen chase seals on two occasions in that area over the years, but thats another controversial (SP?) discussion that I would rather do without.

The fact is, nobody at this point SAW or SPOTTED a white, so saying so is incorrect.

The unknown fisherman

SAGE · Sep-02-2005, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ?? fisherman

Really, then by who?? I suppose you have a name for this this shark too, could it be Casper the friendly white shark that has a heart and lets its prey go

Seriously though dude, if you want to draw the conclusion that a white is in the area and responsible for what happened to the seal thats fine, and I would have to agree that is probably a fairly good assumption and would be my guess as well, buuut..... I do know of another good canadate for that bite mark and most especially in that area, and yes it's another shark which I have seen chase seals on two occasions in that area over the years, but thats another controversial (SP?) discussion that I would rather do without.

The fact is, nobody at this point SAW or SPOTTED a white, so saying so is incorrect.

The unknown fisherman

...Mako ??? Do tell, i luv shark stories...btw not sure if was a GW , but i saw something big towing a lobster buoy outside s. garbage (pL) a few years back. Scared the shit out of me to see a lobster buoy move that fast through the water. At one point the thing even did a giant circle about 50 yards from me. Wish I hadn't been on my 5'11" that day. Bunch of other guys saw it . This was about a week after some other guy claimed he saw one with a buoy attached to it.

Weazel · Sep-02-2005, 11:40 AM

Last season my brother and I were fishing when we had a great white cruise by the boat. Sucker was around 12' long and we were less 2 miles off childrens cove. Needless to say I didn't jump in the water with my spear gun that day.