45-year-old College English teacher and weekend surfer, Jay Scrivner of Eureka, California is one lucky wave rider. Jay had been surfing for about two hours and was just minding his business, paddling out to the waves on the Northern California coast, lookin’ like a big juicy fish, when “out of nowhere”, came a nearly 10-foot great white shark! The shark bit into his thigh and his surf board, but apparently decided Jay wasn’t delicious, so didn’t take any of Jay with him.
After he was bitten, Jay did what any self-respecting man would hope to have the composure to do. He tried to land a punch on the great white. He then proceeded let out, what a friend nearby described as, a primordial yell. “I couldn’t believe it happened,” Scrivner said. “When I turned away from the shark, I said, ‘Did I really get bit?’ Your mind doesn’t believe it.”
Scrivner told the Associated Press that he did a quick body parts inventory, just to make sure everthing was still there. Then, his worthy friends wrapped his wounds and got him to the hospital.
Scrivner surfs a lot at the location near Humboldt Bay known as the Samoa Peninsula. Yes, he was aware that another surfer, Scott Stephens, survived a shark attack in the same area last year. And, yes, he is aware that sharks live in the ocean. He said he thinks he was spared from more severe damage by his old surf board, which is thicker than many modern boards.
Scrivner said he will “definitely surf again,” but with more caution, and said he’s already had an anxiety dream where something was tugging on his surfboard leash. Luckily, his wounds are minor, as there was only muscle tissue damage, and none to major arteries or tendons. Jay is expected to heal just fine.
Image via wikipedia
