By Paul Lebowitz

Dan Prather is in exclusive company. The Concord, California kayak angler is the first in the nation to survive an up close and personal meeting with the tax man. The levy on his kayak was steep, yet Prather escaped with his skin intact. In the final reckoning of this unusual incident, that’s all that matters.

Prather was fishing at Bean Hollow south of San Francisco with a bunch of buddies from the NorCal Kayak Anglers (NCKA) online community on Saturday, July 21 when a suspected great white shark struck his kayak, knocking him into the water. It chewed up the bow of his 16-ft long red-hued boat before leaving Prather in peace.  

The men and women who launch their fishing kayaks onto the often rough, unsheltered ocean of Central and Northern California are a rugged breed. In the aftermath of Prather’s trial by shark there’s been no shortage of dark humor. He’s been called “a human Zara Spook” – you know, big bait, big fish.

There’s also been plenty of serious talk about safety. Let’s get the shark out of the way first.

The odds of a kayak angler ending up as shark chum are miniscule. From 1901 to 2000, only 5% of the 108 authenticated attacks off the U.S. Pacific Coast involved kayaks according to the Shark Research Committee. Surfers, divers and swimmers accounted for most of the victims.

It may be only plastic, but that kayak is a life saver. Most shark on kayak attacks play out like Prather’s or Ken Kelton’s. Kelton was kayaking at Ano Nuevo State Reserve in 1992 – the tax man’s office – when his white-water kayak got the Swiss cheese treatment. Unhurt, Kelton walked away with a macabre souvenir, a jagged, razor-edged tooth.  

And what of California’s so-called Red Triangle of which Bean Hollow is a part? It runs from the Farallon Islands, southwest to Ano Nuevo or by some reckonings Monterey Bay, and north to Bodega Bay. Great white sharks are commonly sighted here, where they congregate to feed around sea lion and seal rookeries. How much did the location come into play?

Sean Van Sommeran of the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation, who has run great white tagging studies for over a decade, said that although great white sharks aren’t looking to eat kayaks (or the crunchy nuggets atop them), the recent attack could have happened virtually anywhere.

“There are no boundaries. Great whites are seen in all areas of the coast,” Van Sommeran said. Marine mammal colonies, however, are places to avoid. Van Sommeran likens them to watering holes on the African veldt. “You have a concentration of big predators including white sharks,” Van Sommeran explained.

Shark attacks command a lot of attention and inspire lurid imagery. Yet if we’re honest, they rank very low on the list of hazards we face every time hit the water. Ugly weather, the sudden onset of a disabling medical condition such as a heart attack, boat and ship traffic, a slip-up with a gaff; these everyday risks are much more commonplace than visits from Whitey.

Fortunately, preparation is the same regardless of the emergency. It starts with the ability to get back on the kayak while under duress – a skill Prather demonstrated in spades. Not only does this require practice; thoughtful rigging is necessary. Avoid cluttering your kayak cockpit.

Emergency signaling devices are a must. The handheld marine VHF radio is your lifeline to the Coast Guard and other boaters. Get one, keep it charged and on your person. Flares can come in handy too.

TAXED – A suspected great white shark levied a significant toll on Concord, California angler Dan Prather’s kayak. When the shark tired of chewing it, the bow was left holed and cracked. Prather survived none the worse for the wear. It’s the typical outcome in the rare instance a shark strikes a kayak. PHOTO COURTESY DOUG MAR

BE PREPARED IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF A MEETING – Great white shark expert Sean Van Sommeran said that although the big fish very rarely attack kayaks, it is wise to be prepared for any contingency. Watch for clues of their presence such as spooked sea lions and seals. If approached or bumped by a cruising great white, show you are attentive by nudging it away with your paddle. If you end up out of the kayak and in the water, climb back on or cling to the boat. It confuses your silhouette. PHOTO COURTESY PELAGIC SHARK RESEARCH FOUNDATION

THE TAX MAN AKA WHITEY – Great white sharks patrol the length of the U.S. Pacific Coast according to Sean Van Sommeran of the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation. In spite of increasing numbers of kayakers, kite boarders, surfers and swimmers in the ocean, great white sharks rarely attack humans. Rather than feel threatened, Van Sommeran said anglers should view them as allies which keep pinniped numbers in check. PHOTO COURTESY PELAGIC SHARK RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Next are a first aid kit, kayak pump, and a tow line of some sort. The last item on this less than exhaustive list is the most important. Bring a friend, someone to cover your six.

“We’re bipedal primates. We’re best in numbers, when there are two heads instead of one,” Van Sommeran pointed out.

Be aware out there. Pay attention to the ‘vibe.’ Most of us have experienced that spooky feeling that raises the hair on the back of our necks. 

Van Sommeran said there are sometimes clues a shark is in the area.

“Watch the animals. Sea gulls will orbit expectantly above a shark and vocalize. Pinnipeds detect sharks visually. They are watching the birds themselves. If they duck out and split, a shark may be around,” Van Sommeran advised. 

Great whites occasionally bump or cruise slowly past while eye-balling kayakers.

“It could put your heart in your throat but that’s good news. The one that gets you is one you don’t see coming,” Van Sommeran said of these ambush predators.

Van Sommeran suggested kayakers tap or jab an overly familiar great white with a paddle.

“It lets the animal know you are alert and may convince it to go after a more familiar food item,” Van Sommeran explained.

In the unlikely event you find yourself in Prather’s place, in the water with a shark, try not to panic.

“Hang onto your paddle. Stay close to the kayak to confuse your silhouette so the animal won’t pick you out. A shark has a busy schedule itself. It won’t waste a lot of time on something that doesn’t meet the food profile” Van Sommeran said.

It’s our playground but the tax man’s ocean. They come with the neighborhood.

“I look at it like bears in the woods. The best woods have some bears,” Van Sommeran pointed out.

Judging by the bulletin board messages on the NCKA website, many of the kayakers who fish in the Bean Hollow region feel the same way. This incident is no reason to stay home.  

“I probably won’t dangle my feet or hang fish in the water to keep them cool,” Chuck Espiritu said. Little else will change for the NCKA regular.

“There’s safety in numbers. You’ve got to be careful even on Lake Tahoe,” said fellow NCKA member John Dale. Dale won’t let the attack keep him on the beach. “It won’t affect me, I’ll go out again,” Dale added.

And what of Bean Hollow? Will he fish it again?

“Not this weekend, I’m busy,” Dale said with little trace of irony in his voice.

There’s little to worry about according to Van Sommeran. The rangers at Bean Hollow didn’t bother to close or even post the beach. There’s no point.