Dana Point today Mr. Hammerhead

[TINCANYAK]

I've been following BWE for little over a year and thought I would share my first post with everyone. Launched at 6:30 this morning under overcast smooth water and paddled up to the Strand with Chris and dog-on-board Hanna. Tosses three nice keeper sand bass in the sack out of the mix and even landed my first kayak yellowtail albeit only 20" so I thought it would be good Karma to release. By 12:30 I was content and started to head back inside staying about 50 yards off the break wall. Just after passing Ocean Institute I got a big bump underneath the rear. Turning around I knew something was not right and that's when Mr. Hammerhead pulled right under my right arm skimming the top and I'm thinking what am I to do? Do I hit him with my paddle or will that only agitate him? Then another bump from under as I am now paddling as fast as I can but his interest is stuck on me. I think just toss my squid over and make it to the rocks thinking I can escape his persistence, but two minutes later bump again and I'm thinking this 8 foot hammerhead wants to knock me in the water and eat me. With nobody around other that a solo fisherman on the rocks pointing while yelling "Shark" , I yell back "I know he's been on me". Getting in about 15 yards from the rocks did not deter him and I was thinking if I end up in the water can I make it to the rocks, most likely not? Finally after a half dozen bumps and my heart pounding I round the harbor entrance corner shaken in disbelief. TJ thanks for pairing up at this point and the advice to smack him next time. It was such a relief to be in the harbor. I have read other post on Mr. Hammerhead, but its a whole new level of creepy to experience it out there alone. He was obviously excited by the dead fish scent and squid slick out of the drain holes, so now I'm thinking fish bag? I really do not want this to keep me out of the water, but I definitely need to make some changes so as not to encounter Mr. Hammerhead again. Reported the incident to Harbor Patrol and OC Lifeguard.
Oh yeah....Karma was with me today.

John (Tincanyak)

[DanaPT]

congrats on the new addiction. Those hammer heads have small mouths (small bites)... nothing like a GWS. Based on my limited experience (ignorance) you are okay. those sharks want nothing to do with you only the dead bait you harbor.

Congrats on the bass and the C&R YT. bigger ones and things are out there. Best of luck wrangling them in.

:cool:

[FISH11]

Good thing you are OK. Yeah don't leave fish or bait loose on deck. All that scent is going out the scuppers and it's like chumming. When any sea life starts getting too close and might cause you to roll, hit it with whatever is handy. A paddle is a good tool because it has a long handle and that way you can keep your distance. Thanks for sharing.

[bigbarrels]

Similar experience last summer without all the bumps. Hammerhead inches from yak for around 45 mins as I peddled wit a YT on board. This year using a fish bag (mainly bought for Baja trip but like it) and a shark shield and haven't had a shark up and close. Did have a big mako around 30 yards off taking a mega mac after it got hung up in some kelp

[octico]

That happened to me last year. Those bumps get nerve racking, trust me I know how you felt. The Mr. Hammerhead that bumped me and would not leave either. I hit him with the butt end of my gaff and that seemed to piss him off more.

Glad your ok.

[Mr. NiceGuy]

Hammerhead circling (attacking?) kayak fishermen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoiWtj-N49w

A list of 10 most dangerous sharks puts the hammerhead at #10:
http://www.planetdeadly.com/animals/dangerous-sharks

Another article places hammerheads as #10 on the list of most deadly sharks:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Top-10-Deadly-Sharks-81429.shtml

Swimming with the fishes: Hammerhead sightings in San Diego:
http://sdexpeditions.com/hammerhead-shark-sightings-san-diego/


---

So, when a 12' hammerhead is alongside our kayak, what is the best response or deterrence?

---

Chumming out the scuppers and Mirage drive pedal hole, .... yikes!

Makes me think twice about throwing water on a wet gunny sack to cool down fish on the bow.

Maybe this draws seals as well?


With the refined sense of smell hammerheads are famous for having, maybe they will smell fish anyway, no matter what we do?


"Blood in the water" is a common expression for a reason.


Good thing you are OK. Yeah don't leave fish or bait loose on deck. All that scent is going out the scuppers and it's like chumming. When any sea life starts getting too close and might cause you to roll, hit it with whatever is handy. A paddle is a good tool because it has a long handle and that way you can keep your distance. Thanks for sharing.

[ronbo613]

Those hammer heads have small mouths (small bites)... nothing like a GWS. Based on my limited experience (ignorance) you are okay.It's all relative. We were tuna fishing off SD in an 18' Boston Whaler when a hammerhead shark started swimming alongside the boat. It was easily longer than the boat. Betcha it had a pretty good sized mouth.

[bmercury]

congrats on the new addiction. Those hammer heads have small mouths (small bites)... nothing like a GWS. Based on my limited experience (ignorance) you are okay. those sharks want nothing to do with you only the dead bait you harbor.

Congrats on the bass and the C&R YT. bigger ones and things are out there. Best of luck wrangling them in.

:cool:

Those things can bite a nice grade tuna clean in half. Think if that was your limb instead.

[2-Stix]

I was out on Sunaday with another guy on the form, and a driver shot a bonito. We saw big ripples on the water 15 mins later. I tossed a tady, then saw the fin.

[Trojan Yaker]

Sounds like it's time to finally give in and get a shark shield. I've alway been kind of skeptical of them.

[TINCANYAK]

Sounds like the fish bag is one solution and keeping clean. I only had a wet gunny sack as I had heard that was really all you needed......need to rethink that one. Shark shield? The youtube video posted above was close to my encounter Sunday, but solo, it did not bite the yak and I did not stop paddling to where he got out in front of me to circle thinking it might escalate. He was either right next to me up top, behind, underneath, or bumping the length of the break wall. Really not thinking Mr. Hammerhead would go away peacefully, but he did at the harbor entrance.
Thank you all for the feed back, support and all is well that ends well.
John

[2-Stix]

I was out today with a guy that had a shark shield and he caught a 5' mako.