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David Falkenau, English and Science Teacher at the Army and Navy Academy, Carlsbad, CA (and self proclaimed elasmobranchologist and Great White Shark expert) says: I've been studying the Great White Shark since I was a child. I am 34 years old now, and I have my own theory behind an attack like this. I think the water is getting colder and the Whites are moving back down here (So-Cal) to their natural birthing ground off Blacks and that long stretch of deep water basin / Canyon in La Jolla. Everyone knows about the juvenile Whites that have made their home just south of the power plant at San Onofre. They have made trail 1 and the trails camping area their home, and I would not be surprized that it was one of these that initiated the attack. You must also realize that Great Whites attack with a "bite-and-spit" method where they will sometimes circle their prey for long periods of time before initiating a single bite, and then they will circle their prey and wait for it to bleed to

We would like to extend deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the person who didn't survive the shark attack. If there is anything we can ever do to assist you in any way, Contact Us! We have formed an organization for Shark Attack Survivors operated by Shark Attack Survivors at www.sharkattacksurvivors.com. We are the only organization that provides resources, information, and assistance for past, present, and future shark attack victims and their families. If you were involved or know someone who was involved in a shark attack, Please visit and contact us at www.sharkattacksurvivors.com. SharkAttackSurvivors.com also has pages and pages of shark attack information to help others avoid being attacked, visit us. Director Al Brenneka Shark Attack Survivors

I find it very interesting that the eyewitness noticed a seal lion DISTRESSED and ON THE BEACH. I would bet the shark was hunting it and mistook the swimmer for the sea lion.

I was surfing alone off Trevor's house in Del Mar yesterday at 12 noon just 3/4 mile from the attack and it felt spooky as well and even had sharks on my mind. Came in after 1 hour. My friend said he saw a legitimate double shark fin off Boat Ramp at shores on Tuesday paddling up to Shores. Not just one of those many "friendly breeding" sharks that congregate down there in Spring/Summer. Keep looking upward always!

AHHH! did he die?

Sorry, you do not seem to be much of an expert on White sharks, Mr. Falkenau. First, nobody has ever seen a White shark give birth much less conclusively know where White sharks' "birthing grounds" are. Your speculation has no evidentiary support. Second, the notion that a juvenile White shark was the culprit is likewise flat out false. Juvenile White sharks primarily feed on fish, not pinnipeds or marine mammals. Besides. Here, the bite radius was 22". As far as the "bite and spit" theory is concerned, this attack tends to show the overlooked dynamic that human beings are the only prey item that comes to the rescue before the victim can bleed to death under the known "bite, spit and wait" predation pattern. How's this: adult White sharks prefer seals but are still generalist feeders and humans are digestible prey. Humans and their precursors have been a White shark prey item for over 2 million years. So in 2008 it is not a case of mistaken identity. It is Nature

Hey I would also like to send my sympathy to the family morning their loss. I work in La Jolla Shore doing kayak tours and their were two tour guides that claimed to have spotted a great white near La Jolla Caynon!!!!! I personally havent seen any thing. but there are an abundance of sea lions at the La Jolla Sea Caves.It seems to be very possible that a great white would be attracted to this prey. Especially with the La jolla and the scripps under water canyons being close to shore. I'm sure this isn't the last shark alert we'll have in southern california before september.

Don't be so quit to slam my post. most of my post was cut off because it exceeded the 1024 characters. go to www.artisansurfdesigns.blogspot.com and read the rest of it, and then you can slam me. Okay Mr. Drudown? There Always has to be a Mr. Negative out there, doesn't there???

Don't be so quick to slam my post. Most of my post was cut off because it exceeded the 1024 characters. Go to www.artisansurfdesigns.blogspot.com and read the rest of it, and then you can slam me. Okay Mr. Drudown? There Always has to be a Mr. Negative out there, doesn't there???

A couple of years ago there was a big, old sea lion beached on a very public beach here in Santa Barbara. He refused to go back in the water, but finally some passer-bys forced him back in. He was there again the next day with a massive shark bite across his entire body. Moral - pay attention to the animals.

Fair enough. After reading your entire post I'm convinced you know even less about White sharks. First, you incorrectly state the last White shark fatality in SD County was 1959 when in fact M. V. Emster was killed by a White shark in 1994. Second, you incorrectly attribute mammalian hunting patterns to White sharks. Third, there is nothing "irregular" about human vibration patterns in the sea that triggers attacks- it is simply human, like a fingerprint. This underscores why people are rarely attacked, i.e., White sharks know what we are and don't prey on us. But when a human has its leg bitten off, the White shark is feeding itself. Facts are facts.

Dear all, From France where i live, i was once circled by a shark. Didn't stayed long enough in the water to guess what it was exactly... Indeed, the key fact here seem to be the distressed sea lion on the beach. For the lifeguard i am, this is a big teaching, if only you can the sea lion check before entering the water. How about these individual electric defense stick i heard of some years ago ? Is it efficient ? Any chance to plug it on shark nets off the beaches ? Deepest thoughts to the victim's family. Yannick. www.CathaySeas.com

I think, and I am not saying that it is true, that all the bait fish are being caught by commercial fisherman, this tends to lead the sharks in closer to land, to search for food. This guy was at the wrong place at the right time for the shark. These sharks are very dangerous, and will eat anything to survive. My Thoughts and Prayers go out to his family for their tragic loss.

Seems all these theories may resonate with the facts in some way. From what I have pieced together and suspect after surfing the sharky waters of humboldt and santa cruz county for over ten years and personally knowing 6 people who have either been attacked or near an attack. It would seem there was a pod of athletes training (swimming) near by - the elder man - most likely slower was trailing by himself - very much the same pattern as an elder slow meaty seal which is the usual prey of whites. You defintitley pick up the spook in the water - i have felt it on more than one occasion and left the water and have one friend who even felt that spook - pulled his feet up onto his board and still got hit - landing in the jaws and being spit free - most likely due to his fiberglass and lack of fat body. I always watch the seals- they commonly seek land when whitey is about. Wherever there is seals and deep water - youre gonna have whites - welcome to the wilderness. Maybe the line up will clea

Sympathies sent to family and friends from Texas surfers.

I'm stuck in WA till June, and I'm looking forward to getting back in the water when I get back to San Diego for the Ocean Beach Street Fair June 28. Being attacked by a shark is my biggest fear in life, but it hasn't ever kept me out of the water! I no longer eat shark, however, coz I certainly wouldn't want the karmic fallout to bite me in the A$$!!! A warning to the women. (I learned about this when I lived in Hawaii; there is a major tiger shark breeding ground right off of Maui): Stick to a pool when you're experiencing the Red Tide (monthly flow). Sharks can smell blood from miles away. I had to give up watching JAWS movies, too, especially after hearing the duh-duh, duh-duh (Jaws soundtrack) in my head when swimming in an 18-foot-deep diving pool with no lights on one night at the club while I was waiting for my dad! I knew it was ludicrous, but I got the hell outta the pool till my daddy showed up that night! I have had sharks brush up against my legs in the brackish bays in FL

deepest of sympathy to the family members and loved ones of the deceased. anyone trying to put their two cents in should first acknowledge that. luckily for me and other people in my area, hawaii has not experienced all too many shark inflicted fatalities... never the less, the opinions and "stats" posted on this site are tragic. respect first, inspect later. nothing but aloha from hilo on the big island, hawaii.

Two years ago I predicted to my adult son that there would be an attack off the North San Diego County coastline soon. The reason is simple: Seals and sea lions are protected species and they are no longer allowed to be killed my fishermen like they have been over the last century. Anybody boating by the bouys off the coast of Carlsbad will know what I am talking about, they are thick out there and fight each other for an empty spot to "sun" themselves (or to get away from the sharks)on the bouys. This will not be the last attack, in my opinion there will be another one within two years, until the population of sea lions is significantly reduced .

My sympaties to the family of Dr Martin. As tragic as this attack was, from what I understand this was a man who loved what he was doing and had a great love for the water. I am glad the family is not the type to be demanding that this shark be hunted down and killed for doing something that comes naturally to it.

My prayers and thoughts go out to the Martin family. I've been surfing in San Diego since the 80's. Mainly at Del Mar, it's the adjacent beach to Solana Beach. I pray every time I go out for a session, knowing that it's possible I may not be coming out of the water alive, if at all. I guess that's when you know you love a sport. If someone were to asked me to go mountain biking through Africa, I would tell them they were nuts! Because of all the animals that could kill you, roaming free through the plains. Form some reason (right or wrong) many surfers, including myself, want to believe that the swimming/surfing in the ocean is different than walking/biking through Africa. You won't be forgotten Dr. David Martin. 15th Street Surfer, Greg...

Prayers for the Martin family and those that were training with him.Thanks to the First Responders that did what thet were trained to do to keep Dr.Martin alive. Heads up out there!

Well, Drudown... My statements are / were based on FACTS. You may want to re-research YOUR FACTS. The 1994 attack has been FACTUALLY documented as a case where they could not prove that she was attacked as a cause of death and therefore theorized that a white shark bit her leg off post-mortem... so Robert Pamperin is still the last one to get attacked, and that was in 1959... However, some even speculated that it was staged and or even a Killer whale... which I doubt. As for your Human vibrations comment... Show me a human that swims with a perfect and steady patten not making any spalshes or irregularities when they swim or splash or stop amd are treading water... wounded fish and swimmers have both been compared and the vibrations ARE IN FACT VERY SIMILAR. Furthermore your comment about my "mammalian" comment is also just mere rambling on your part. There was a tag and study done in Australian waters where the sharks that were ALL tagged, worked together in a group very similar to wolve

My sympaties to the family of Dr Martin from Germany. I surfed at this spot for 3 years while I stayed in the US. Beauteousness and actual life danger lie so close together! I am sorry for you guys. I hope that the family will be able to accept and forgive one day!

very sad.wrong place at the wrong time. the shark was probably lost and very hungry. rarely do sharks attack humans. i surf with then everyday in south africa. its natures way...

First of all, my sympathy to the family of Dr. Martin. Second, drudown and falkenau, i don't think this is the right occasion/page for a cockfight. Everyone interested in great whites can read about them and make up their own mind. Not much is known yet and facts can be contradictory. Speculations are made easily. Why not spend some money for shark research instead of just bawling seals beach in La Jolla should be opened for humans as seals could attract w sharks?! Sure, where the hell is a beach in SoCal where that no human calls his own? Seals have to spread everywhere and so will the sharks. I surfed there myself and one day 2007 saw a seal w/o a head on the beach. If you commit to the water, you commit to the risk! Now, have fun driving your car.

Ya I heard about this when I was in school from the other kids. And our school's surf PE class was cancelled and everyone was freaked out and did not want to go back in the water. Now when I'm surfing I always think about this and get spooked out. But it does not stop me from surfing two days a week! About 3 years ago I saw a dead seal at sea side beach with no head and was all bloody and me and my family were guessing it was a shark. THAT was creepy and gross!!!

I know Mr. Martin's grandson. His name is tanner. He is super dumb. I hate him. He is terrible at everything.

Deepest sympathies to the family-but the shark cannot except any responsibility.First of all the attack occurred between 7 and 7 30 am,everyone knows that early morning and evening is the most dangerous time.Secondly he was wearing a BLACK swimsuit-what color are seals ? and thirdly he was swimming with a group about 10 yards from the main pack!,just like an injured seal!.I also heard that there had been numerous seals on the beach refusing to swim!!!!.Its a teriible way to die but guys we gotta remember that sharks have been around millions of years before we were!,there a very important part of the natural oceanic ecology,and the sea is their home.They dont come onto land looking to hunt us-we enter their environnment and cases of mistaken identity happen-sometimes with a tragic outcome