Swimming With The Sharks

Today is my friend Jac's birthday. In honour of the day we decided to head over to LaJolla Shores and swim with the Leopard Sharks.

We were barely in the water before Jac saw her first shark. It was fun watching her shock and excitement when she realized that they were not small little fishies but full on 4-6 foot scary looking sharks.

Despite LOVING the ocean I suffer from terrible motion sickness. On a waaavvvvy day like today I can only last about 5 minutes with a face mask on. I had a good time floating up above and gabbing with the other folks looking for sharks.

When we were drying off on the beach - two dudes came up to us and asked us if we had seen sharks. They were TOTALLY freaked by just how big and scary looking they were!! We were feeling pretty cool for taking it all in stride.

Swimming with the Sharks - The Movie

Bi-lingual (?!?) Sign

click picture to enlarge



After the marathon I went for a stroll along the beach. Just south of the bridge I came across this sign. It appears to be a bi-lingual warning sign. However, the message is very different depending on which language you are reading.

English

"Warning: there was a fatal shark attack the morning of Friday April 25th in Solona Beach. It is recommended that you refrain from any water activity until further notice. San Diego Coast Lifeguard Service."

Spanish

" Warning: The bacteria count exceeds the recommended levels and contact with the water may cause illness. County of San Diego Dept. of Environmental Health."

Not exactly the same thing now is it?!?

I guess posting a bacteria instead of a shark warning is better than nothing. At least it conveys the message to stay out of the water.

The Day After

This morning I made my usual trek up the coast. I took my time and stopped in at the various beaches from Torrey Pines to Cardiff. It was eerie to see the beaches deserted - especially in the midst of a heat wave.

Cardiff State Beach Looking North
empty as far as the eye can see


Lifeguards patrolling Fletcher's Cove in Solana Beach
Scorching hot day and no one at the beach


Warning posted at the top of the stairs in Cardiff



A few die-hard surfers had paddled out - but otherwise the ocean was quiet. Today, there were no boogie boarders, swimmers or the usual sounds of kids playing in the water.

A few lone surfers in Cardiff


I stopped in Solana Beach at the beach at the main lifeguard area at Fletcher Cove. The parking lot full of satellite dishes and media trucks.



The local networks were squeezed over by the playground trying to eek out an interview with the fire chief while kids squealed on the swings and ran around them with soccer balls. CNN and Fox News had staked out the bluff top and grassy open area.

CNN reporting live


The park was an interesting mix of media circus, kids on the swings and a steady stream of locals who came to pay their respects and shed a tear as they looked out over the water in shock.

Tonight's e-mail

I subscribe to an e-mail group for local cycling enthusiasts. The following was in my inbox tonight.


To: tcsd@yahoogroups.com
Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:34:38 -0700
Subject: [TCSD] Brian here

Hello all,

It is with a heavy heart that I am sending out this email about Dave Martin. This morning during the group swim at Fletcher Cove, Dave Martin was the victim of a shark encounter. Fortunately he was with a group of friends living life to the fullest and while his fellow swimmers did everything they could to help, his wounds were to severe. He is survived by four adult children whom our thoughts, blessings and prayers are with!! Those who were with Dave, please know that your actions were nothing short of heroic!!! In what had to be a test many people would fail, you showed courage and the best of the human spirit for your friend. I hope your lives are filled with many blessings!!!!

Tonight the tri club will be hosting a get together at BnL, thank you Scott, from about 6:00 until..... This is an open invitation to come have a slice of pizza, take a walk to! the cove if you would like and be amongst your friends to show support for Dave's family, our community and each other.

Goodbye Dave!!! Tell Jim we all said hello and are doing well!!!!


Shark Attack

By now the story is making headlines. At a local North County beach there was a fatal shark attack this morning.

I was at work on a call with a client when one of my colleagues came by and started hovering looking worried and saying, "Don't go surfing - o.k.". I put my call on hold for a moment and looked her quizzically. She told me that just down the road in Solana Beach there had been a fatal shark attack. Helicopters were flying along the coast clearing the ocean of swimmers and surfers and trying to locate the shark.

The beaches along the North County Coast (from Torrey Pines to Carlsbad) are closed until Monday. We are heading into a heat wave - so looks like I will be spending some time at the pool this weekend.



Local News Coverage

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