Danny McDaniel and Jon Chambers were kayaking near Catalina Island when McDaniel felt a strong push. That’s when he turned around and saw the shark’s snout on the boat as it chomped down on the kayak.
McDaniel said, “He wasn’t aggressive. He didn’t grab a hold and shake his head. He just grabbed and pushed.”
The men say the encounter lasted about four seconds before the shark lost interest and swam away.
Chambers explained, “He was in attack mode. He thought we were prey.”
Experts say based on the size of the teeth the shark left behind, it was about 19 feet long.
Once they realized they both were ok, they waited for a few minutes to make sure the shark was gone before starting their 25-minute paddle back to shore.
It’s an encounter the men say they will never forget. “It was petrifying but still amazing at the same time,” Chambers said.
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