California Man Narrowly Survives Shark Attack

Even if you don’t live in Northern California, this man’s story is terrifying.

“He came up, straight underneath me like this, and the whole kayak was probably lifted out of the water like that. ... It started shaking the boat front to back like this.” (Via KPIX)

Micah Flansburg says he was just paddling in his kayak at Pacifica State Beach Tuesday when a great white shark came up and scared the living daylights out of him.

“I was pretty much helpless, just hanging on for dear life ... In this bite mark right here you can actually see the serrations in his tooth." (Via KCOY)

“The scariest part was when it let go. ‘Cause it swam back around, I thought he was going to come and take another bite right where my legs were.” (Via KABC)

Luckily he wasn’t hurt, but definitely a little shaken up. He guessed the shark was as much as 12 feet long.

Which is actually not that big, considering great whites grow as much as 20 feet long. (Via Wikimedia Commons / Sharkdiver.com)

San Francisco’s KGO suggests it was likely a juvenile great white.

Now — they don’t typically attack humans. Their meal of choice is seals and sea lions. (Via Wikimedia Commons / Pterantula)

But out of caution, warnings were posted around the beach.