‘Aggressive’ shark behavior forces closure of popular California beach

FILE – A surfer heads to the water as storms move through the area in San Clemente, Calif., Dec. 12, 2022. A two-mile (3.2-km) stretch of the popular Southern California beach was closed for the Memorial Day holiday after a shark bumped a surfer off his board the night before, authorities said. The 24-hour closure at San Clemente was announced after the surfer came out of the water and reported the shark’s aggressive behavior to lifeguards Sunday evening, May 26, 2024. (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP, File)

SAN CLEMENTE – A shark knocked a surfer off his board off the coast of San Clemente, prompting authorities to close the water to swimmers and others on the busy Memorial Day holiday, and authorities were monitoring the waters Monday.

According to city officials, the ocean water was closed off late Monday morning “due to confirmed aggressive shark behavior” in the water in the vicinity of T-Street Beach.

City Councilman Chris Duncan told CBS2 that surfers reported the activity to lifeguards, who reviewed surveillance footage and found video of the surfer being knocked off his board.

According to CBS2, officials from the Long Beach State University shark lab were consulted, and they determined the culprit was likely a juvenile great white shark.

The closure of the 2-mile (3.2-kilometer) stretch of the popular Southern California beach was announced after the surfer came out of the water and reported the shark’s aggressive behavior to lifeguards around 8 p.m. Sunday, the Orange County Register reported.

The surfer, who wasn’t hurt, was bumped after seeing a large, dark object swimming toward him, San Clemente Marine Safety Lt. Sean Staubenbaur said.

The sand remained open to the public, but beachgoers were warned to stay out of the water until 8 p.m. Monday.

Though disappointed, the closure didn’t stop 6-year-old Waylon Andino’s plans for a lemonade fundraiser.

“It’s Memorial Day weekend, we’ll live it up and have fun with the kids regardless and enjoy each other’s company,” Waylon’s mom, Kylie Andino, told the Register.

A sighting of a shark 10 feet (3 meters) or longer calls for a closure, usually for several hours, while any kind of aggressive behavior automatically prompts a 24-hour shutdown, pending no additional shark sightings. (With CNS report)