Cue Music

Although I am saddened by the death of a retired veterinarian training for a triathlon off the coast of Southern California, I must admit to being somewhat heartened by the thought of a 17-foot Great White Shark. These magnificent creatures have been hunted to near-extinction, and a fish of this size is unusual today.

The shark was likely an adult female about 12 feet to 17 feet (3.7 meters to 5.7 meters) long, and probably mistook Martin for a seal, Rosenblatt said.
``We think it's mistaken identity,'' Rosenblatt said. ``The white shark hunting method is be down relatively close to the bottom and looking for silhouettes and then coming up to attack the seal. A human swimmer is not too unlike a seal.''

Read a full account of the accident here.

and of course there's those that disregard the Shark Advisory...

There were surfers Saturday who would not be discouraged. Several dozen paddled out at Swami's, the well-known break north of Solana Beach.

and my favorite:

A friend offered a novel take: "A bear kills a guy at Big Bear, a shark kills a guy at Solana Beach, both in the same week," said Glen Forest, 45, a carpenter. "There's a strange vibe out there."

Like maybe Nature is fed up?

and this -

On Saturday, only a hardy few Southern California paddleboarders ignored signs warning that the great white shark could still be in the area.

"It's like going to see 'Jaws' -- getting in the water the next day, all you could think about was the music," said Bob Rief, 63, who was teaching a friend how to stand up on a paddleboard. "But if you're afraid of the ocean, you shouldn't be in it."

Farther north, Orange and Los Angeles county beaches were packed with people Saturday and lifeguards were more concerned with crowds and riptides than sharks.

"The most dangerous part of the day, if you're going to the beach, is getting on the freeway to come here," said Garth Canning, section chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department Lifeguard Division.