Oregon’s KCBY 11 recently ran the above feature on the coexistent of surfers and great white sharks. While there isn’t anything really groundbreaking or new in this feature, the story does objectively present information about human encounters with white sharks, without going over the top. Insight about shark attacks on surfers is provided by Jan Hodder of the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, in which she briefly discusses the nature of white shark’s ambush attack method and theories of mistaken identity when surfers and surfboards are sometimes hit by white sharks.

The article also offers up first-hand accounts of surfer, Dale Inskeep, who has had multiple white shark encounters while surfing. Inskeep clearly recognizes the seriousness of instances of hit-and-run attacks on surfboards. In 1993, Inskeep’s surfboard was bit by a white shark that was estimated to be 17′ (5m) in length. Inskeep is now doing more stand-up paddle boarding these days, but KCBY quotes him as saying that he views white sharks as “amazing animals” and feels “blessed” to have been able to see them up-close on 4 occasions.