California Paddle-Boarders Warned To ‘Calmly’ Exit Water: ‘Next to Approximately 15 Great White Sharks’
The last thing anyone participating in a water activity in the ocean wants to learn is that they are swimming next to a great white shark. A few California paddler-boarders received a terrifying warning when a helicopter flew overhead to alert them to “approximately 15 great white sharks” that were swimming close by.
Video footage of the helicopter alerting the California paddle-boarders of the situation and warning them to “calmly” exit the water has gone viral. In the viral California video footage, which can be watched at the top of this article, you can see some of the great white sharks swimming next to the paddle-boarders.
The waters near this California beach are not closed, but they are currently on a 48-hour advisory for what has been coined as “aggressive” shark behavior. A helicopter carrying Deputy Brian Stockbridge took to the sky to warn individuals in the water that there were over a dozen great white sharks near them.
“You are paddle-boarding next to approximately 15 great white sharks. They are advising you exit the water in a calm manner. The sharks are as close as the surfline.”
CBS News asked Brian Stockbridge how the California paddle-boarders responded to being asked to “calmly” exit the water following the great white shark warning. Stockbridge revealed the paddle-boarders appeared to take the shark warning seriously and immediately exited the water. He also noted to the media outlet that it was a little uncommon for the individuals in the water to comply with a shark warning so quickly. Typically, it wasn’t the type of warning taken seriously.
A day after this viral shark warning footage was captured, there were even more great white sharks spotted in the area via the helicopter. As stated previously, the water is not closed to those who wish to enter. There are, however, shark advisory signs posted encouraging people to stay out of the water. Stockbridge noted the earliest the shark warning advisory could be lifted is on Saturday. This is providing more sharks do not continue to appear in the area.
As those who follow shark attack news might recall, a woman was bitten by a shark at San Onofre State State Beach on April 29. The beach is nearby the area currently under the shark advisory. On Wednesday of this week, there was also a surfer in the area who had reported an 8-foot shark darting towards him while in the water. What type of shark darted towards the surfer, however, was unknown.
A lifeguard chief in the area named Mark Allen also spotted the shark within six feet of the surfer that made the claim. The lifeguard noted the shark appeared to be making a circular motion around the surfer.
"You are paddleboarding next to approximately 15 great white sharks," the helicopter loudspeaker blared https://t.co/k7g3TAJu2z
— CNN International (@cnni) May 11, 2017
Chris Lowe – a marine biologist – also weighed in on the reason why the shark population in the area was increasing. Lowe told CBS News, shark population has increased because the U.S. has been protecting them and providing them with food.
“The reason why I think we’re seeing more sharks is because we’ve protected them. They’ve been protected in U.S. waters since 2005. The other thing is, there’s lots of food. So along our beaches, the sting ray populations have been kind of exploding over the last 50 years.”
Do Americans really have no one to blame but themselves for the increased shark population? Chris Lowe seems to think so with the statement he made above.
What would you do if you were in the ocean and a helicopter flew overhead to warn you of 15 great white sharks swimming near you? Share your thoughts on this video shark warning video footage in the comment’s section found down below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8el_RBgPuNA
[Featured Image by Martin Prochazkacz/ShutterStock]
