Photographer Jordan Anast Captured a Shocking Moment During a Surfing Competition at San Onofre Beach, California.
A great white shark leaps out of the water just a few meters away from surfer Tyler Warren.
The viral image shows a great white shark unexpectedly appearing near a contestant performing during the surfing competition. The shark launched itself out of the water, just a few meters away from surfer Tyler Warren. Its entire body was visible above the surface, with its nose pointing skyward and its sleek gray body and fins glistening in the California sun.
Engrossed in his performance, Tyler Warren was unaware of the great white shark’s presence nearby. Fortunately for him, the shark only made a brief appearance before disappearing, causing no attacks. Subsequent photos taken by Jordan Anast showed the shark falling back into the water as Warren paddled closer to the shore.
The great white shark is estimated to be a juvenile, measuring about 2.7 meters in length.
Jordan Anast stated: “With over 10 years of experience photographing around the world, I have never witnessed anything like this. This is the most memorable moment for me. I believe this photo will also become a part of the history of San Onofre. That’s amazing.”
Initially, Jordan Anast thought it was a whale, but upon closely examining the photo he took, he was astonished to realize it was a great white shark. He plans to frame the photo as a gift for Tyler Warren.
Chris Lowe, who works at the shark lab at Cal State Long Beach, estimates that the great white shark is a juvenile, measuring about 2.7 meters long. Sharks can leap over 3 meters out of the water to hunt, but this occurrence is quite rare.
Matt Enright, a member of the surfing club who was present on the beach, mentioned that he saw two sharks a few days prior. The sharks’ fins were visible above the water, but they did not attack anyone paddling on the beach.
San Onofre is a well-known breeding ground for adult great white sharks. This is not the first time sharks have encroached upon this area in recent years.
In 2019, a shark surfaced during a surfing competition at Lower Trestles, located north of San Onofre. In 2021, a shark leapt out of the water during the finals, causing the competition to pause.
