Will Yesterday’s Shark Breach Thin Out The Lowers Lineup?

Ever seen a shark in the lineup? It’s a devalued experience that doesn’t register until it’s out of sight, saving those who scare easily at dolphins and seals. In the South Bay at dusk, while standing safely on the shore, I watch one swim towards my friend as he caught his last wave in. My thoughts went from seal to dolphin to, well, shark – more amused than concerned. It was small, and thrashed perpendicular to the horizon, gone as soon as noted. I wouldn’t have had to time to shout a warning if it was aggressive; the warning wouldn’t have mattered.

In Southern California, media will tell you the worry about sharks is at a high. Attacks, however, occur so rarely that they’re almost null and void. Sightings make news, and have increased over the years. Could be more eyes on the ocean, more webcams documenting the space between shore and horizon (as seen on the Surfline Cam Rewind), or frankly, there are more sharks in the water. Just this year, two juvenile great whites were reeled in off the HB Pier. At the moment, the waters of nearby Newport Beach are murky and polluted due to dredging providing a likely habitat. San Onofre has been called “ground zero” for great whites, but still, no blood’s been shed, adding substance to Brendan Buckley’s theory of millennial, pussy sharks.

Yesterday at Lowers, a possible great white breached. However, the cam today shows a crowd that hasn’t wavered. Traditional four to five board takeoffs prevail. It’s relatively tame; the summertime battle horn has yet to sound, and there’s appears to be no cause for alarm.