Has there been any shark attacks in Santa Cruz?

December 31, 2020 at 5:00 a.m. APTOS — The Santa Cruz surfing community lost one of its own this year in a shark attack in May. Ben Kelly was surfing on May 9 off Sand Dollar Beach in Aptos when he was attacked by a young adult great white shark, approximately 10-12 feet long.

Are there sharks in Santa Cruz?

Santa Cruz-based marine biologist Giancarlo Thomae studies the toothy predators from the sky using a drone, as well as up-close in the water while paddling in his kayak. During one of his recent drone flights, Thomae observed 20 great white sharks hanging out near one Santa Cruz County beach known as “Shark Park.”

How many surfers have been killed by sharks?

The 2021 worldwide total of 73 confirmed unprovoked cases was in line with the most recent five-year (2016-2020) average of 72 incidents annually.

Is Santa Cruz safe from sharks?

“But so far what we’ve seen, it appears that the sharks completely ignore people. They just don’t care.” In recent years, heaps of photos and videos taken along the Santa Cruz County coast have showed unsuspecting swimmers, surfers and paddleboarders coming within a few yards of the young sharks.

How often do shark attacks happen in Santa Cruz?

Confirmed Unprovoked Shark Attacks (1926-Present)

County total
Santa Cruz 8
Los Angeles 6
San Francisco 5
Orange 4

How many shark attacks are in Santa Cruz California?

8
Confirmed Unprovoked Shark Attacks (1926-Present)

County total
Santa Cruz 8
Los Angeles 6
San Francisco 5
Orange 4

Where are most sharks in California?

Solana Beach, California California ranks second after Florida for the most unprovoked shark bites in the United States. According to the ISAF there have been 124 since 1837, and the highest number (19) took place in San Diego County, the area of the state where Solana Beach sits.