News Blog
Surfer Survives White Shark Attack in Marina
October 31, 2011
A local surfer escaped from the jaws of the oceans most infamous predator early Saturday morning at Marina State Beach.
Eric Tarantino was bitten on the neck and forearm by what researchers are calling a 14-foot great white shark—the 19-inch bite mark on his surf board is a testament to just how lucky he is. Tarantino was helped to shore by friend and fellow surfer Brandon McKibben.
Though the shark narrowly missed severing vital blood vessels in Tarantino’s neck, the surfer was released from Regional Medical Center of San Jose at 1:30pm today (Monday).
Tarantino issued a short statement thanking everyone at the beach and at the hospital but refused to answer questions.
A report by local television news outlet KSBW pinned the cause of the attack on a red tide that is present in Monterey Bay, attracting all sorts of sea life. That sea life in turn attracts predators like white sharks during this time every year.
In the following videos taken by Mike Cochran you can see the dolphins that frequent Marina State Beach throughout the year, playing in the breaking waves. What Cochran found among the playful dolphin footage appears to be a more menacing sea creature.
Great White? from Mike Cochran on Vimeo.
A slower and closer look at the end of the second clip shows what Cochran believes to be a great white in the surf.
Great White pt. 2 from Mike Cochran on Vimeo.
Photo by local photographer Paul Clifton.
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