Date: August 28, 2008 11 AM
Location: Marina State Park near Monterrey California
Shark: Great White
More evidence to the fact that God is good, surfer Todd Endris needed a miracle and he got an unusual one! The 24-year-old had gone surfing with four of his friends at Marina State Park just off of the shores of Monterrey, California, enjoying a day of the sport he loved.
“[It] came out of nowhere. There’s no warning at all. Maybe I saw him a quarter second before it hit me. But no warning. It was just a giant shark,” Endris said. “It just shows you what a perfect predator they really are.”
“It was so powerful and graceful and it was so fast and effective. He lifted me out of the water and bit down twice on me - once while I was in the air and once while I was going back into the water. He bit the same area, like an inch away and gave me another row of teeth marks.”
The predator attacked Todd while he was sitting on his board, its huge jaws trying to lock around both the surfer AND his board. Apparently the shark couldn’t hold that bite and disappeared for another strike. This time with Todd laying on his board, it clamped around Endris’ torso, pinning him to the board between its jaws.
The board must have protected Todd’s internal organs, but the second strike absolutely shredded his back, peeling the skin back, he says, “like a banana peel.” Its hard to imagine what’s going through Todd’s mind at this point, but he claims that he never felt like he was going to die.
The shark stayed aggressive and came in for a third offensive, attempting to swallow Todd’s right leg. Ignoring the pain and shock, Todd kicked the shark repeatedly with his left leg until it released him.
Endris braced himself for another assault…
But what should have been absolute disaster turned into a good thing as several dolphins surrounded the victim. They had been swimming near the surfers most of the day and now suddenly they had formed a protective barrier between Todd and the shark. This gave Endris enough time to get back on his surf board and find a wave to take him into shore.
Later, Endris told Surfing Magazine, “You know the funny thing, bro, is that the only thing that was awkward is there were dolphins really close to us the whole time we were out there. They were swimming around us and swimming in front of and underneath us in a couple feet of water. And after I got hit - apparently from what the other guys said - is the dolphin all swarmed around behind me as if they were protecting me.”
Its very interesting how throughout history dolphins have stepped in to protect humans from sharks. Some biologists like to think that dolphins, being one of the most intelligent mammals, like to help the helpless.
Tags: beach, Great White Shark, shark attack, surfing
