Jim Rowlinson was surfing at the Point at Hanalei Bay, on the north shore of Kaua’i around 4 PM on Monday, April 19, 2010 when he said he saw the water boil. Seconds later a shark took a bite out of Rowlinson’s blue longboards, according to a story in the The Garden Island.
Based on the teethmarks embedded in the board, marine biologist Terry Lilley of Save Our Seas said the shark was likely 14 feet long. He estimated this based off the base of the tooth measuring 1.25 inches. . . Lilley said the shark involved in this incident was likely chasing after a turtle when it mistakenly bit the surfboard. He said Rowlinson noted he saw a “yellow flash,” which could have been the underside of a turtle, just before the shark bit his board.
The best part about longboards is the nose and tail are a long ways from where you’re sitting. Especially when the sharks hit.
[Link: The Garden Island]
Fuck that will leave a mark.
I saw a large tiger shark during a night dive 2 days ago… It just swam past me slowly…. Scared the crap out of me!
lucky there was not a turtle nearby!
He lunged over a coral mound… and I didn’t see him again… On my terrified way back to shore, I did see a big turtle 🙂 First time at Ulua Beach Maui I saw a Tiger!
too funny on the turtle
we surfed that point (Hanalei) just 2 hours before it happened. We saw turtles everyday swimming around us. I caught a wave and there were two at the bottom of the face that I had to surf around.
about 1 hour after it happened, we were surfing across the bay (we hadn’t heard yet). The guy is very lucky. Great area – i guess the sharks think so too.
Sounds like the shark bit the skeg and swam away injured. Hopefully it learned and will tell his friends not to bite boards or surfers…
he saw the water boil?
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