Surfer thinks fin sticking out of water is big dolphin; shark attack ensues - GoFuckYourself.com

~Ray · 05-31-2004, 08:15 PM

Surfer thinks fin sticking out of water is big dolphin; shark attack ensues

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...AG596UH8C1.DTL

Surfer goes toe-to-toe with shark
'I thought I was dust,' he says of 5-minute ordeal off Bodega Bay

Demian Bulwa, Chronicle Staff Writer
Monday, May 31, 2004

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Surfer Bernard "Butch" Connor Jr. was about to paddle into a tasty wave off Bodega Bay when he heard a strange splash. Glancing over his right shoulder, he noticed a large fin jutting out of the rolling water about 3 feet away.

"Just like in the movie," said Connor, a 44-year-old telecom technician from Windsor.

"My first thought was, that's a really big dolphin. But then I noticed it was swimming side to side rather than up and down," he said. "I thought I was dust."

The father of three had, on Friday just after 11 a.m., found himself in the middle of an unusually drawn-out -- and public -- great white shark encounter. Dozens gaped as Connor became one of the luckier people to tangle with the big fish. The incident has prompted authorities to post signs warning beachgoers to frolic in the chilly water at their own risk at popular Salmon Creek Beach, which now has seen four shark attacks in the past eight years.

But this being Memorial Day weekend, and surfers being surfers, it was a matter of hours before humans returned to the water. One surfer didn't even paddle in after the attack; he had to be talked ashore by Sonoma Coast State Beach rangers, witnesses said.

Connor, a Bodega surf regular, had been trolling for waves Friday with about 15 others. He wore a wetsuit, a hood and booties.

Looking for a good ride, he paddled about 40 yards north of the pack and sat up on his board, 100 yards offshore, to wait. But just as he dropped to his chest on the board and turned counterclockwise to paddle into the first wave, Connor spotted the telltale fin.

He gasped. He muttered an expletive to himself. The creature came straight for his left leg and collided with his thigh.

"In the moment, you know you're about to get eaten," he said.

The impact tilted Connor to the left. Trying to stay atop his 82-inch board, he overcompensated back to the right and fell into the water. The shark responded by thrashing its head and tail.

"I felt like I was in a boiling cauldron," he said. "I was spinning like I was in a whirlpool."

The shark stopped thrashing but started circling -- four times in all. Connor kept his board between him and the shark. Then it made its second approach.

"I got pissed," Connor said.

He jammed the nose of the board into the animal and yelled "shark!" as it resumed thrashing.

By now, all of the surfers and more than a dozen people on shore were watching Connor get tossed about by a shark they estimate was 14 to 18 feet long.

"I thought the guy was going to die," said surfer Noel Robinson, 33. "I couldn't believe how much water the shark was displacing."

Connor said he climbed back on his board and waited for the shark to quit thrashing. When it did, he paddled four strokes -- but the thrashing picked up again, and now the shark circled again. Connor said he sensed a third approach.

He stopped paddling. Now his body was shaking from fear. "That was probably the scariest time," he said. "I remember thinking that I needed to calm down."

The shark circled behind once more, and Connor, sensing opportunity, started paddling. First he just used his hands, and then he was sprinting. Unfortunately, he was battling a rip current.

The attack had lasted 30 seconds. The sprint to safety lasted five minutes. "The longest five minutes of my life," Connor said.

"It was taking him so long," Robinson said. "We thought he was still going to die. That was definitely the heaviest thing I've ever seen at the beach."

Connor had a long conversation Saturday with Ralph Collier, founder of the Shark Research Committee in Los Angeles, who told him that very few attacks have lasted as long as Friday's. Collier also told Connor that the shark was "checking him out" rather than planning to eat him.

"I don't believe it was a predatory attack," Collier said Sunday.

When Connor fell off his board, Collier said, "the shark probably lashed out in a defensive response to let him know it felt threatened."

Connor, meanwhile, said he plans to steer clear of Salmon Creek Beach for a while -- roughly three to five days.

"I love it too much," he said. "We're all a bit nuts."

Spunky · 05-31-2004, 08:28 PM

Man..I don't know what I would do if I encountered one of those fuckers

nathan_f · 05-31-2004, 08:29 PM

natural selection.

'nuff said

crockett · 05-31-2004, 08:35 PM

yea sharks are the reason I never learned to surf... fuck that I don't need to be a fishes dinner

MattO · 05-31-2004, 08:38 PM

Nice Fark rip

Phoenix · 05-31-2004, 08:39 PM

ugh

all these shark stories and im about to try it for my first time in a week or so

~Ray · 05-31-2004, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MattO
Nice Fark rip

thanks... they have some cool articles...of course, they rip from others... so it's just a cycle.

Screaming · 05-31-2004, 08:41 PM

yikes

AMADude · 05-31-2004, 08:41 PM

Wow, that was very descriptive. Scary stuff.

Poppy · 05-31-2004, 08:42 PM

The landlord came for his rent...yikes.

Dugmor · 05-31-2004, 08:43 PM

The man in the grey suit paid him a visit !

baddog · 05-31-2004, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Phoenix
ugh

all these shark stories and im about to try it for my first time in a week or so

no sharks in SD

Xenophage · 05-31-2004, 10:27 PM

whatever if ya surf every day and you play the lottery every day you havge better chances of winning the lottery than ya do gettin bit by a shark

you have more of a chance to die gettin in your car everyday than ya do if ya surf every day and die froma chark attack..

its just sensationalized by dumb movies and fearrfull people..

I hit the waves today.

and with that said i dont surf Ano in the summer months cuzz thats where the elephant seals mate..

I dont surf when the man is feeding..

But then again if shark fear keeps people outta the water then more waves for me..

Yeh yeah sharks will kill ya dont learn to surf

Face (o_0) · 05-31-2004, 10:41 PM

that's scary stuff... lucky guy, he got out without a scratch

insanesurfer · 05-31-2004, 10:52 PM

If the great white wants you for dinner then your dinner. There isn't anything you can do about it.

webmaster x · 06-01-2004, 03:38 AM

Sharks, nobody knows what they're up to till they eat you.

boardersweetie · 06-01-2004, 03:51 AM

I'm just stoked the SB chanel doesn't have a lot of sharks... to many dolphins here and not enough seals/sea lions - I'm guessing because of the islands. Unfortunately the Chanel Islands block all the good swells too.

EviLGuY · 06-01-2004, 03:53 AM

I grew up watching Jaws.. I still have a hard time swimming in the ocean.

pimplink · 06-01-2004, 03:58 AM

Wow! Nobody posted the jaws pic w/ MJ in it?

jm_247live · 06-01-2004, 05:29 AM

crazy story

Phoenix · 06-01-2004, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LegendaryLars
whatever if ya surf every day and you play the lottery every day you havge better chances of winning the lottery than ya do gettin bit by a shark

you have more of a chance to die gettin in your car everyday than ya do if ya surf every day and die froma chark attack..

its just sensationalized by dumb movies and fearrfull people..

I hit the waves today.

and with that said i dont surf Ano in the summer months cuzz thats where the elephant seals mate..

I dont surf when the man is feeding..

But then again if shark fear keeps people outta the water then more waves for me..

Yeh yeah sharks will kill ya dont learn to surf

good meeting you in Atlanta

i think there are several people going surfing in SD if you care to join.

would be good to have an experienced person around as well i think

PeerPatrick · 06-01-2004, 06:18 AM

shark attack, shark attack get out of the water and never come back...

C_U_Next_Tuesday · 06-01-2004, 07:52 AM

great whites are awesome creatures

neverlearn · 06-01-2004, 08:01 AM

Lucky Dude for sure

05-31-2004, 08:15 PM	#1
~Ray visit hardlinks.org Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Las Vegas , Nv >>> [email protected] or icq 94994627 anytime Posts: 18,362	Surfer thinks fin sticking out of water is big dolphin; shark attack ensues Surfer thinks fin sticking out of water is big dolphin; shark attack ensues http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...AG596UH8C1.DTL Surfer goes toe-to-toe with shark 'I thought I was dust,' he says of 5-minute ordeal off Bodega Bay Demian Bulwa, Chronicle Staff Writer Monday, May 31, 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Surfer Bernard "Butch" Connor Jr. was about to paddle into a tasty wave off Bodega Bay when he heard a strange splash. Glancing over his right shoulder, he noticed a large fin jutting out of the rolling water about 3 feet away. "Just like in the movie," said Connor, a 44-year-old telecom technician from Windsor. "My first thought was, that's a really big dolphin. But then I noticed it was swimming side to side rather than up and down," he said. "I thought I was dust." The father of three had, on Friday just after 11 a.m., found himself in the middle of an unusually drawn-out -- and public -- great white shark encounter. Dozens gaped as Connor became one of the luckier people to tangle with the big fish. The incident has prompted authorities to post signs warning beachgoers to frolic in the chilly water at their own risk at popular Salmon Creek Beach, which now has seen four shark attacks in the past eight years. But this being Memorial Day weekend, and surfers being surfers, it was a matter of hours before humans returned to the water. One surfer didn't even paddle in after the attack; he had to be talked ashore by Sonoma Coast State Beach rangers, witnesses said. Connor, a Bodega surf regular, had been trolling for waves Friday with about 15 others. He wore a wetsuit, a hood and booties. Looking for a good ride, he paddled about 40 yards north of the pack and sat up on his board, 100 yards offshore, to wait. But just as he dropped to his chest on the board and turned counterclockwise to paddle into the first wave, Connor spotted the telltale fin. He gasped. He muttered an expletive to himself. The creature came straight for his left leg and collided with his thigh. "In the moment, you know you're about to get eaten," he said. The impact tilted Connor to the left. Trying to stay atop his 82-inch board, he overcompensated back to the right and fell into the water. The shark responded by thrashing its head and tail. "I felt like I was in a boiling cauldron," he said. "I was spinning like I was in a whirlpool." The shark stopped thrashing but started circling -- four times in all. Connor kept his board between him and the shark. Then it made its second approach. "I got pissed," Connor said. He jammed the nose of the board into the animal and yelled "shark!" as it resumed thrashing. By now, all of the surfers and more than a dozen people on shore were watching Connor get tossed about by a shark they estimate was 14 to 18 feet long. "I thought the guy was going to die," said surfer Noel Robinson, 33. "I couldn't believe how much water the shark was displacing." Connor said he climbed back on his board and waited for the shark to quit thrashing. When it did, he paddled four strokes -- but the thrashing picked up again, and now the shark circled again. Connor said he sensed a third approach. He stopped paddling. Now his body was shaking from fear. "That was probably the scariest time," he said. "I remember thinking that I needed to calm down." The shark circled behind once more, and Connor, sensing opportunity, started paddling. First he just used his hands, and then he was sprinting. Unfortunately, he was battling a rip current. The attack had lasted 30 seconds. The sprint to safety lasted five minutes. "The longest five minutes of my life," Connor said. "It was taking him so long," Robinson said. "We thought he was still going to die. That was definitely the heaviest thing I've ever seen at the beach." Connor had a long conversation Saturday with Ralph Collier, founder of the Shark Research Committee in Los Angeles, who told him that very few attacks have lasted as long as Friday's. Collier also told Connor that the shark was "checking him out" rather than planning to eat him. "I don't believe it was a predatory attack," Collier said Sunday. When Connor fell off his board, Collier said, "the shark probably lashed out in a defensive response to let him know it felt threatened." Connor, meanwhile, said he plans to steer clear of Salmon Creek Beach for a while -- roughly three to five days. "I love it too much," he said. "We're all a bit nuts." __________________ Adult Backlinks for Adult Websites - Testimonials Available

05-31-2004, 08:28 PM	#2
Spunky I need a beer Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: ♠ Toiletville ♠ Posts: 133,949	Man..I don't know what I would do if I encountered one of those fuckers __________________ *YOUR INFORMATION HERE*

05-31-2004, 08:35 PM	#4
crockett in a van by the river Industry Role: Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 76,806	yea sharks are the reason I never learned to surf... fuck that I don't need to be a fishes dinner __________________ In November, you can vote for America's next president or its first dictator.

05-31-2004, 08:39 PM	#6
Phoenix BACON BACON BACON Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Poems everybody, the laddie fancies himself a poet Posts: 35,469	ugh all these shark stories and im about to try it for my first time in a week or so __________________ Skype Phoenixskype1 Telegram PhoenixBrad https://quantads.io

05-31-2004, 08:41 PM	#8
Screaming I can change this!!!!! Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 18,972	yikes __________________

05-31-2004, 08:29 PM	#3
nathan_f Confirmed User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Think of me as Chomsky with dick jokes. Posts: 3,983	natural selection. 'nuff said

05-31-2004, 08:38 PM	#5
MattO The O is for Oohhh Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: AUSTIN TEJAS Posts: 10,861	Nice Fark rip

05-31-2004, 08:41 PM	#9
AMADude Confirmed User Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,875	Wow, that was very descriptive. Scary stuff. __________________ No sig, just here to fuck around.

05-31-2004, 08:42 PM	#10
Poppy Confirmed User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: O H I O Posts: 6,254	The landlord came for his rent...yikes. __________________ VP Sales, Peak5Payments [email protected] Skype: consultpoppy In adult since 98'

05-31-2004, 08:43 PM	#11
Dugmor The Traffic Cowboy Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: BP4L - Vice Prez Posts: 7,608	The man in the grey suit paid him a visit ! __________________ JesusEmpire - The Most Trusted Mobile Marketing Service SMS Verification codes for 345 websites including: Tinder - Bumble - Twitter - TikTok - Instagram - Facebook

05-31-2004, 10:27 PM	#13
Xenophage Registered User Industry Role: Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 12,122	whatever if ya surf every day and you play the lottery every day you havge better chances of winning the lottery than ya do gettin bit by a shark you have more of a chance to die gettin in your car everyday than ya do if ya surf every day and die froma chark attack.. its just sensationalized by dumb movies and fearrfull people.. I hit the waves today. and with that said i dont surf Ano in the summer months cuzz thats where the elephant seals mate.. I dont surf when the man is feeding.. But then again if shark fear keeps people outta the water then more waves for me.. Yeh yeah sharks will kill ya dont learn to surf

05-31-2004, 10:41 PM	#14
Face (o_0) So Fucking Banned Join Date: May 2004 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 2,617	that's scary stuff... lucky guy, he got out without a scratch

05-31-2004, 10:52 PM	#15
insanesurfer Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 790	If the great white wants you for dinner then your dinner. There isn't anything you can do about it. __________________ Tired of Paypal? Then give Moneybookers a chance.

06-01-2004, 03:38 AM	#16
webmaster x Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,400	Sharks, nobody knows what they're up to till they eat you. __________________ Click 9500 FHG Text Descriptions--Only $89!

06-01-2004, 03:51 AM	#17
boardersweetie Confirmed User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Santa Barbara, ICQ 301-613-472 Posts: 1,889	I'm just stoked the SB chanel doesn't have a lot of sharks... to many dolphins here and not enough seals/sea lions - I'm guessing because of the islands. Unfortunately the Chanel Islands block all the good swells too.

06-01-2004, 03:53 AM	#18
EviLGuY So Fucking Banned Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: malta Posts: 12,745	I grew up watching Jaws.. I still have a hard time swimming in the ocean.

06-01-2004, 03:58 AM	#19
pimplink Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Closer than you think Posts: 9,535	Wow! Nobody posted the jaws pic w/ MJ in it? __________________ Need Mainstream Content and SEO? SEO * Website Copy * Blogs Blogging - PR Work - Forum Marketing - Social Marketing - Link building - Articles 100% Guaranteed Content!

06-01-2004, 05:29 AM	#20
jm_247live Confirmed User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: florida/philly Posts: 1,536	crazy story __________________ ICQ 280987151 [email protected]

06-01-2004, 06:18 AM	#22
PeerPatrick Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: www Posts: 444	shark attack, shark attack get out of the water and never come back... __________________ PeerPatrick ICQ#150599121 www.buydrm.com

06-01-2004, 07:52 AM	#23
C_U_Next_Tuesday WW4L Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: over the river and through the woods Posts: 10,581	great whites are awesome creatures

06-01-2004, 08:01 AM	#24
neverlearn Confirmed User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Banners, FPA, HPA, FLASH, Illustration, Web Design, Print, posters, business cards, LOGOS ...ICQ 210-450-833 Posts: 2,085	Lucky Dude for sure __________________ DICK TOO BIG! Maximum 120x60 button and no more than 3 text lines of DEFAULT SIZE and COLOR. Unless your sig is for a GFY top banner sponsor, you may use a 624x80 instead of a 120x60. Let me repeat... A 120 x 60 button and no more that 3 lines of DEFAULT SIZE AND COLOR text.