Shark Frenzy!...

 Image Source:  http://www.trbimg.com/img-53b97c2d/turbine/la-me-shark-attack-manhattan-beach-pier-video-20140706

Dateline: Saturday, July 5, 2014, at approx. 9:30 a.m., Manhattan Beach, California.

Unless you've been locked indoors without access to a radio, tv or the internet, you've no doubt heard about the Great White Shark Incident in Manhattan Beach this past weekend where a juvenile 7 foot (approx.) Great White Shark (GWS) bit an ocean swimmer just south of the pier.  By several accounts, including a video posted on YouTube (see below), the GWS had been hooked by a fisherman on the pier for over 30 minutes and was very agitated. In the video the individuals with the fisherman can be heard laughing and joking about the shark being close to the group of swimmers and one person exclaiming that the shark had jumped on top of one of the swimmers. Shortly thereafter, you can hear the swimmer's screams on the video.

*** Video Alert ! ***

Great White Shark Attack Caught On Camera

      http://youtu.be/ESzXLQhMMlo

Fortunately, the bites sustained by the victim were not as bad as they could have been AND several other people in the area got to the swimmer right away and were able to escort him to shore on a paddleboard. One young man, aged 19 years old, at the back of the beach where he was working in a paddleboard rental shop set up in a tent, heard the screams and rushed out with a paddleboard to assist the swimmer onto the paddleboard and back to shore along with a couple of other people, including at least one LACo Ocean Lifeguard with a LACo rescue board.  At the same time, other LACo Lifeguards were responding to this event and the swimmer was transported to City of Manhattan Beach Fire Dept. Paramedics in the parking lot at the foot of the pier and the swimmer was immediately rushed to a hospital.  By the early evening, the swimmer was at home recovering.

Image Source:  http://www.trbimg.com/img-53b891ef/turbine/la-me-ln-shark-attack-stirs-manhattan-beach-holiday-weekend-crowd-20140705

Below are just a few of the media stories covering this shark incident.  In the undersigned's opinion, the authorities should look very closely at the video above which would seem to indicate that the fisherman did not cut the line as soon as he is required to do by law.

We are certainly glad that the swimmer is recovering and will be ok.  Likewise, we are hopeful that the authorities will investigate this matter carefully.  Now that this juvenile GWS has a taste for human blood, even if it's actions were provoked, it could lead to other incidents in the future. Only time will tell.

In any event, not swimming alone is always good advice.  This particular swimmer was swimming in a group and while this did not prevent him from being bitten, it was certainly helpful that other people were around to help him right away.

Respectfully submitted,


Will Maguire, Editor
"County Recurrent" News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com

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x-ref; media stories/links:

•  https://twitter.com/LACoLifeguards/status/485486448427417600

•  http://manhattanbeach.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/shark-attacks-swimmer-just-south-of-manhattan-beach-pier

•  http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/No-Time-to-React-Swimmer-Bitten-by-Shark-Thought-He-Was-Going-to-Die-265927611.html

•  http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2014/07/the-inexcusable-inhumane-lack-of-regard.html

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