What'd you do if you saw a shark at your favorite spot?

There are many things you can do to prevent and defend yourself from a shark. Things you can do to prevent shark attacks are:

-Wear sun block (I know it sounds weird but chemicals can deter a shark because of it's highly sensitive nose)

-If you have a wetsuit, wear it; not only will it keep you warm, but if the shark bites, it's senses will automatically tell it that it is not the stuff it's prey is made of.

- Do not go in the water if you have an open wound or have recently been in contact with blood, vomit, or other body fluids.

-Avoid areas of murky water and wherever there are animals that are prey of sharks (seals, schools of fish....)

-Do not splash around or make lots of noise. Sharks, as well as all predators, will always choose the easiest prey to attack first. Splashing and standing out from the group can make you look like a struggling fish.

-Do not wear anything bright colored or shiny that can catch a shark's eye.

-If you see a shark, swim slowly using powerful strokes. You have to convey the image that you are NOT their prey. Try to get out of the water immediately. Always keep the shark in your field of vision. Most importantly, don't panic.

If you are actually attacked by a shark there are some things you can do to defend yourself.

- The eyes and gills are the weakest points on the shark. Poke, jab, hit, scratch... do whatever you can to annoy the shark.

-Always keep fighting, do not give up.

-Try to keep yourself from being taken to deeper water, where you won't have the advantage of being able to stand.

-Beating on the shark's nose may help, but it has had mixed results.

-I suggest trying to scratch the eyes and dig your fingers into the gill slits, then bend them over towards the back of the shark.

Or you could shit your wetsuit, which is probably what I would do...that ought to disgust the big toothy guy.

or just pet the dam thing....

duct tape and balloons??
or this:

I would paddle in and then speak to a spergy guy in Southern California about it for an hour http://www.surfpulse.com/2010/05/shark-sighting-in-bolinas-on-tuesday-ma...

No biggie brah

'Never' a human attack at Bolinas (seals yes). For some reason they travel to the So. end of Stinson where there have been several.
In all my decades of surfing the Bo, we've seen our share of the sand sharks that breed in the lagoon and travel in and out of the channel.
Yes, I'll continue to surf there.

@ unfocused, no worries. I just want to assure everybody that although the Bo is notorious for sightings, you most always see them travel So. and or out to sea.
I was there the day after the Father's Day sighting last year, signs were posted everywhere, and the Bo Fire Rescue was at the beach along with the Sheriff's Dept, but the locals and others were out in the line up.

As for the question: "What'd you do if you saw a shark at your favorite spot?"

The only time I ever encountered a shark was in Hawaii. We were at a spot called Queens Surf, right next to Canoes @ Waikiki Beach, when we saw three fins sticking out of the water and coming towards us from about 30 yards away. We pulled our feet up, looked at each other, and literally motored in about 100 yards as fast as we could.

Little did we know until we got to the beach that a Coast Guard chopper was following the sharks from Kewalo Basin, but didn't get the radio message to the lifeguards to clear the beach before they arrived at Waikiki.

http://www.unfocused.org/

Moonstone Beach, Humboldt, 1991. Alone in the lineup and a huge fin came up and was heading toward me fast. It was twitching from side to side, not up and down, so I know it was a shark. It dropped back underwater about 20 yards from me. I froze and remained as still as possible for what I thought was about a minute. It was probably more like 20 seconds. Then I paddled as slowly and quietly as I could to shore. One year later I saw three different dudes interviewed on "Shark Week" who had been attacked at that same beach that year. This was most definitely an adult white shark.
Would I surf there again? Yes. But it would have to be going off.

for my data base, sandcastle..what was the month of your sighting, can you remember?

Twin fins, yes...but that's the first I've ever heard of fin twitch.

yes. whether we see them or not, they are in the water with us all the time. they don't want to be biting a human due to our fat to bone ratio and when they do, it is a mistake, albeit it a costly one for us. i think you have to come to peace with their presence, and ultimately the only thing one can do is not go in the water. pretty sure anyone who is going to take the time to follow and post on stoke report has already made the previous decision.