SANTA CRUZ, CA (KION/CNN) – A California kayaker had a close encounter with a hungry shark, who took a bite out of the man’s boat and knocked him in the water.
Experienced kayaker Steve Lawson says his Tuesday morning kayaking trip was different than usual.
"I was paddling along… and it felt like I hit a rock. I looked forward, and there was a shark holding the front of my boat. He let go, and I went over,” Lawson said.
Lawson says luckily the shark darted off right away, and people from a nearby fishing boat called Harbor Patrol.
Moments later, he was rescued from the water.
The man says this has never happened before and probably won’t happen to most kayakers.
"I just happened to... you know, look like food at the moment. But he decided after he took a bite out of the boat that I wasn't food, and he didn't hang around,” he said.
The city of Santa Cruz, CA, is suspending water activities in the area until Saturday morning. Those who don’t comply will be cited and fined.
"It's a cooling off period for the animal. What it does is it allows marine safety personnel, life guards to continue to monitor to see if this was an isolated incident or if there's actually active feeding going on,” Santa Cruz Fire Chief Jim Frawley said.
As for Lawson, he plans to head out again Wednesday – in a different boat and at a different spot but with the same level of confidence that he will be safe.
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