Two men from California recently went out fishing in a kayak, only to find a great white shark following closely behind them, an uncommon sight captured by one of them.
According to reports from KABC TV, Ian Walters, a science teacher living in Oakland, California, went kayaking with a friend in Half Moon Bay last week. During their excursion, they noticed a great white shark trailing behind their kayak.
Walters managed to capture the moment on camera. From the footage, it can be seen that a great white shark, approximately 13 to 14 feet long, was following his friend’s kayak, with its dorsal fin visible above the water.
Walters mentioned that they tried to remain calm and not provoke any reactions from the shark, guiding it toward some seals, eventually leading the shark to leave them alone.
He stated that the shark didn’t exhibit any threatening behavior and seemed merely curious.
Describing the experience, Walters shared with KTVU TV, “It was unsettling because it was a new experience for me, not because the shark did anything scary.”
He revealed that the shark followed his friend for about two minutes before switching attention to him, but he didn’t find it to be aggressive.
Walters told KTVU TV that the shark’s back would move, followed by its tail, allowing him to gauge its size. “It was big, but I felt very fortunate. It was a unique experience unlike anything else.”
He expressed, “As everyone grows up, they think of great white sharks as cold-blooded killing machines, but they play a crucial role and generally have no interest in harming people.”
He believed that the fish they caught might have attracted the shark. When the shark spotted some seals nearby, it lost interest in their kayak.
When asked if he would go kayaking in Half Moon Bay again, Walters confidently replied that he would.
He also mentioned that he teaches history and science to sixth-grade students. When school resumes, he plans to share his encounter with the great white shark with his students.
In a previous report by Da Ji Yuan, although the chances of shark attacks on humans are low, such unfortunate incidents can still occur. Therefore, if you are swimming in the sea, it is essential to be cautious of potential shark encounters and know how to survive if faced with a shark.
Richard Peirce, former chairman of the Shark Trust and Shark Conservation Society, emphasized the importance of avoiding swimming in the early morning or evening when sharks are more likely to attack. Many shark attacks on humans occur due to reduced visibility, leading sharks to make mistaken identifications.
He advised that if you notice a shark in your vicinity, remain calm and refrain from splashing water, as it could pique the shark’s interest.
If a shark is swimming around you, it’s recommended to keep eye contact with the shark by turning your head, as sharks are ambush predators and find it harder to attack from behind when facing eye contact.