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10/30/2012 - Scott Stephens - California

Recent 2012 Shark Attacks and 2012 Shark Attack Related Incidents
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alb
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Re: 10/30/2012 - Scott Stephens - California

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A surfboard found on the North Jetty Tuesday afternoon shows evidence of a shark bite.
A surfboard found on the North Jetty Tuesday afternoon shows evidence of a shark bite.
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alb
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Re: 10/30/2012 - Scott Stephens - California

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Humboldt shark attack victim punched shark, rode wave back to shore

Man hospitalized after shark attack off Humboldt coast
It wasn't until surfer Scott Stephens punched the shark on the side of its head that it relented and let go, seconds after biting him and pulling him underwater off the North Jetty.

Stephens sat upright today, smiling and joking as he recounted the harrowing attack that landed him at St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka on Tuesday.

With family and doctors in attendance, the 25-year-old Manila resident and avid surfer told reporters that he was lucky to be able to talk about the incident.

The attack, which happened off the North Jetty around noon, left Stephens with seven or eight deep lacerations, surgeon John Van Speybroeck said.

The wounds did not reach any vital organs or his abdominal cavity, leaving Stephens with less a serious -- but painful -- recovery.

Stephens said he went surfing around 10 a.m. Tuesday and was having a good day. He was catching waves about 150 yards from other surfers at Bunkers, a popular local surf spot near Humboldt Bay.

When the shark bit, Stephens was paddling on his stomach. It immediately pulled him underwater.

"I opened my eyes underwater and punched the shark on the side of the head until it released me," Stephens said. "I saw a lot of blood."

The shark severed Stephens' leash but he was able to get back on his board and -- with the assistance of a wave -- paddle back to shore.

By then he was shouting for help, and several other surfers quickly came to his aid.

"I can't begin to say how appreciative I am of them," Stephens said. "When I reached the beach, I realized how injured I was and how much blood I was losing."

Stephens said the attack left him in shock.

"I really didn't feel much, didn't feel too much pain, until I woke up this morning," he said.

A number of people, including surfer David Hargrave, were in the water and heard Stephens calling for help.

Hargrave and other witnesses said Stephens was able to get to shore on his own power, but was bleeding profusely. Ian Louth, an off-duty first responder, applied pressure to the his wounds while he was loaded into a vehicle to be transported to the hospital, witnesses said.

Blue Lake resident Jason Gabriel drove Stephens from the water's edge to the intersection of U.S. Highway 101 and Myrtle Avenue, where emergency personnel met them.

Stephens thanked the strangers that helped him and the doctors that responded.

"Those guys are heroes," he said.

Van Speybroeck said the action of the surfers -- and the quick transport to the hospital -- went a long way in Stephens' recovery.

Because of the multiple lacerations, one surfer laid on Stephens, compressing the wounds and helping to stop the bleeding.

"I would not have thought of lying on somebody," Van Speybroeck said. "You had to have a lot of pressure. That was very clever of the person to do."

Van Speybroeck said luck was on Stephens' side. The surfboard likely took some of the brunt of the bite, possibly keeping the shark's teeth from penetrating organs that would have made surgery riskier and more complicated.

Because of Stephens paddling motion, his arm was not at his side, likely saving the limb. Stephens' fitness also played a role in his ability to get back to shore and handle the trauma, Van Speybroeck said.

He also praised the emergency room team.

"Everybody pitched in," he said. "Nobody pays attention to titles in that situation."

Stephens said he always knew the risks of going in the ocean, and didn't blame the shark for the attack.

"You're entering into their home every time you go surfing," he said. "I have a lot of respect for him."

He estimated that the shark was four feet from nose to dorsal fin and thinks it was a juvenile great white shark.

The attack wouldn't keep him out of the water, Stephens said.

"I will be very scared, I'm sure," he said. "I'll definitely have some mental barriers to get through. I think it'll be worth it."

http://www.mercurynews.com/
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alb
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Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:41 pm

Re: 10/30/2012 - Scott Stephens - California

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Surfer, 25, badly injured in Eureka shark attack

EUREKA, Calif.—A 25-year-old surfer was recovering Tuesday after he was apparently bitten by a shark off the coast of Eureka, the latest in a string of attacks between ocean lovers and sharks in California this year.

Other surfers attended to the seriously injured man and drove him from the beach to a highway where he was transferred to an ambulance, the Eureka Times-Standard reported He underwent surgery and was listed in fair condition.

The Humboldt County sheriff's office said the man had a 14-inch bite wound and other injuries. He told a deputy he had been attacked by a shark.

His name has not been released.

The attack happened at a popular surfing spot called the North Jetty.

Another surfer, David Hargrave, said he heard the bitten man call for help and saw him wade back to shore while bleeding heavily.

Jason Gabriel said he had just finished surfing himself when he saw several people helping the man out of the water. He had at least four gashes between his ribs and hips, Gabriel said.

"It punctured all the way through. There were guts and meat hanging," he said, adding that the victim appeared to be in shock. "He was going, 'Oh my God, oh my God.'"

Leslie Broomall, a spokeswoman at St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, said she could not release any more information about the man's condition but he was preparing to talk to reporters about his ordeal


A 39-year-old man who encountered a shark while surfing in the waters off Santa Barbara County last week was not as lucky. He died after being beaten in the upper torso; a shark expert determined his injuries likely were inflicted by a 15- to 16-foot great white shark.

Meanwhile, two kayakers—one in Santa Cruz County in July and the other in San Luis Obisbo County in May—reported having sharks take big bites out of their boats.

http://www.mercurynews.com
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alb
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10/30/2012 - Scott Stephens - California

Post by alb »

Shark seriously injures California surfer

Unidentified man, 25, suffers life-threatening injury, sheriff's office says
Other surfers off Eureka shore rescue victim, take him to hospital

(CNN) -- A 25-year-old man suffered life-threatening injuries Tuesday when a shark attacked him while he was surfing in Eureka, California, local authorities said.

Other surfers pulled the injured man from the water, loaded him into a pickup truck and rushed him to a hospital before the local beach patrol could respond, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office said.

A deputy who spoke with the victim as he was being taken to surgery said the man suffered a 14-inch bite wound and other, smaller wounds. The deputy did not specify what parts of the body were injured.

The attack occurred shortly after noon off the North Jetty at Eureka's Bunker Surf Spot. Officials did not release the victim's name.

http://www.cnn.com
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