San Clemente surfer Evan Garcia’s board, after a shark encounter at T-Street. Photo: Fox 11 // YouTube
This Memorial Day weekend, one lucky San Clemente surfer had an extremely close call with what is believed to be a shark. The incident happened Sunday night at T-Street, a surf break just south of the San Clemente pier. In response, lifeguards closed a two-mile stretch of water for 24 hours.
Around 7:55 p.m., 25-year-old Dana Point local Evan Garcia was looking for his last wave of the day, when he saw a dark shape in the water. Moments later, he felt a bump and was knocked off of his board. “There was no doubt in my mind [it was a shark],” Garcia told Fox 11. “The way it hit the board from below – it was coming for me, for sure.” The creature then took a bite of Garcia’s board, leaving a foot-wide gouge.
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Garcia immediately returned to shore, where he informed lifeguards of the incident. They confirmed the bite mark with an expert, then ordered everyone out of the water and restricted water access for a mile in each direction of T-Street, citing “aggressive shark behavior.” San Clemente Marine Safety Lt. Sean Staudenbaur explained the decision to NBC 4, saying, “’Aggressive’ would be the way it’s swimming, makes any contact. If its mouth is open, rushing at a swimmer – those are our criteria of what determines ‘aggressive.’” The closure remained in effect for 24 hours, until 8 p.m. Monday.
“I feel like that’s about as lucky as you possibly can be, as someone who surfs a lot and spends a lot of time in the water,” said Garcia to Fox 11, “You always know that’s a possibility, but there’s people out there who have been seriously injured by sharks and I’m so lucky that it only got my board.” Garcia estimated the shark was a four to six-foot juvenile.
Garcia also thanked San Clemente shaper Terry Senate, who shaped the board he was riding at the time. “He made that board strong and that board saved my life,” he added to Fox 11. “So I’m very glad that I have that. That’ll go on the wall.”
However, the closure did little to deter others looking to celebrate Memorial Day in San Clemente. “We rolled up and got the news. Oh, well, what are you going to do? We’ll go back north, I guess,” said beachgoer Pat Conboy to the OC Register. “Salt Creek it is.”
