“The chances of you having a negative encounter with a shark are so minuscule,” Kajiura said.
“Don't let that diminish your ability to take advantage of the beautiful beaches we have here in Florida.”
Historical data from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife shows only 236 documented shark-human interactions off the California coast since 1950, set against more than 120 million annual beach visits.
During a previous El Niño event, kayakers reported encountering hammerhead sharks off the coast of Southern California.
“We saw this fin and then it dove,” kayaker Kyle Hudgins told KNBC after his friend Dylan Marks was bitten while kayaking near Santa Monica.
Hudgins described the moment the bite occurred while they were on the water.
“We didn't see it for like five minutes and then all of a sudden he had his foot over the side and he just got bit.
And then he put his foot up on the kayak and he said, 'Oh, dude. I just got bit!'”
Hudgins recalled.
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Medical professionals recommend standard safety measures for beachgoers to lower risks further, such as removing shiny jewelry, avoiding open wounds in the water, and exiting immediately if a shark is spotted.
