A fisherman on California’s Central Coast had to swim back to land after a suspected shark attack flipped his kayak roughly a mile offshore and left the craft too badly damaged to remain afloat, fire officials said.
The incident occurred near Leffingwell Landing in Cambria at about 9:30 a.m. Monday. According to the Cambria Fire Department, an unidentified object struck the bottom of the kayak, sending the fisherman into the ocean.
He was able to climb back into the kayak and begin paddling toward shore. But holes in the hull allowed water to pour inside, eventually forcing him to abandon the vessel and swim the remaining distance.
A great white shark swims underwater. A California fisherman escaped injury after a suspected shark encounter off the coast of Cambria. (iStock)
The fisherman made it to shore safely and was not hurt, the fire department reported.
Afterward, firefighters arrived and used a rescue boat to retrieve the damaged kayak, fishing equipment and the man’s other belongings from the water.
Fire officials said Dr. Chris Lowe, who leads the Shark Lab at California State University, Long Beach, examined images of the kayak. Based on the damage, he said it was reasonable to believe a shark may have been involved.
Officials cautioned, however, that the suspected shark encounter has not been conclusively verified.
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The waters off Leffingwell Landing have been the site of similar incidents. In May 2012, a shark hit a fishing kayak in the area, throwing fisherman Joey Nocchi into the ocean and damaging his boat. Records from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with news reports at the time, indicate that Nocchi was not injured.
A comparable event was reported near Cambria in 2019. Local outlet KSBY said fisherman David Zamora encountered an approximately 10-foot great white about two miles offshore, where the shark bit his kayak. Zamora fell into the water but climbed back aboard before a passing boater reached him. He also escaped without injury.
California has recorded 233 shark-related incidents since 1950, including 36 involving kayaks or canoes, according to Department of Fish and Wildlife data updated in January 2026. The figures count cases in which sharks contact kayaks, surfboards or other equipment, even if no one is injured.
Wildlife officials note that some encounters with white sharks may be exploratory. The animals can bite unfamiliar objects in the water, such as kayaks, while investigating them—a behavior that does not necessarily mean the shark was hunting or trying to attack a person.
A great white shark swims in a file photo. (Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
After Monday’s suspected shark encounter, the Cambria Fire Department advised swimmers, kayakers and other ocean users to stay alert, monitor their surroundings and avoid the water when sharks are visibly active nearby.
The department reminded anyone facing an immediate danger or emergency to call 911.