A surfer in California had a close encounter with a shark measuring around 10 feet. Jens Heller, 42, described the incident as terrifying, saying he was briefly knocked off his board and felt an urgent need to escape.
This incident happened at Montara State Beach on a Saturday afternoon. As Heller prepared to catch some waves, he sensed something unusual with his surfboard.
With his wife and six-month-old daughter on the beach, Heller initially thought he had hit a rock. The last thing he remembers was the shark’s nose coming into contact with his leg.
The force of the collision sent Heller tumbling into the water. When he turned around, he found himself staring into the eyes and teeth of the shark, which he later speculated to be a great white.
“I was in full panic mode,” he recalled, feeling like he might not make it out of this situation. “I thought, ‘This is it. I can’t just swim away.’”
According to Heller, he even locked eyes with the shark. He attempted to push his board towards it, hoping to create some space, but quickly decided to let it go. He swam toward shore, grabbing the board again as he paddled away.
While he only caught a glimpse of the shark’s head, other surfers estimated its length to be approximately ten feet.
Upon reaching the shore, Heller was relieved to find his wife and daughter were unaware of what had just happened. He felt thankful that they hadn’t noticed his struggle in the water.
“It’s unbelievable, honestly. My wife, who’s been living in California, would probably be even more scared of a shark than I was,” he shared.
After catching his breath, Heller reflected on the bite mark on his surfboard. He clarified that it appeared to be an accidental hit rather than a full-on attack. “If it wanted to, it could have easily destroyed my board,” he remarked.
Despite the frightening experience, he didn’t feel that the shark was trying to eat him.
“It seemed more curious than anything else. If it had really wanted to go for me, I think it could have done a lot more damage,” he commented.
Heller reported the encounter to a lifeguard, leading to the beach’s closure for the remainder of the weekend.
While the incident didn’t dampen his love for surfing, Heller expressed hesitation about returning to that area anytime soon. “It makes you realize how precious life is. The ocean is powerful, and you can’t control it,” he said.
