Shark Hits Woman Repeatedly At Terramar

by The Editors on August 31, 2009

Edmund 8-25-09 2

The Shark Research Committee is reporting that on August 25, 2009 while swimming in the surf lineup at Terramar Bethany Edmund was bitten on the foot and leg leaving a bite pattern that they say is representative of a juvenile White Shark 5-6 feet in length.

“I was swimming in the surf line-up trying to take pictures with a new INTOVA 6.0 mega pixel underwater camera I purchased earlier in the day. I noticed a large, approximately 14 inches in length, Sea Bass jump in front of me. I tried to snap a picture with my camera. Two other swimmers were next to me and saw the same fish jump. About a minute after the fish, I felt a sharp pain in my right foot. Thinking I might have kicked the reef, I shrugged it off and continued taking photographs. About 30 seconds later I felt the same sharp pain and, this time, I began to swim away from the area. I thought I was over a reef and was kicking a sharp portion of it. About a minute later while I was swimming from the area I was hit on the upper right thigh and propelled about 1 foot out of the water. This is when I realized what was happening and began to body surf toward shore. The first wave I caught I felt something in the area of my calf pulling me back and down under water. I thought it might be one of the two swimmers near me, however when I surfaced they were about 10 feet from my location. I ignored what had just occurred and caught another wave to the beach. This time I felt the same sharp pain in my left calf, but this time I was dragged under water and shaken for 4 – 5 seconds. During this struggle I accidentally kicked the shark and it released me. The shark was about 6 feet in length with a dark blue/black top and a white belly. I then proceeded to stand up and run out of the water. When I exited the water there was no obvious blood, just swollen areas where I had been hit. The next day I notified James Bilz, Supervisor II Lifeguard, Carlsbad and Encinitas lifeguards Captain Larry Giles and Paul Chapman Lieutenant at Moonlight Headquarters .”

Sources with the Carlsbad lifeguards confirmed the bites. “Unless she stayed home and did a lot of work with an Exacto knife, then she was definitely hit by something,” our source said. “Exactly what that was, I don’t know. I’m not a biologist.”

[Editors Note: Special thanks to Carlsbadistan news tippers. We couldn’t do this without you.]

[Link: Shark Research Committee via Surfline.com]

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Bruce the Shark September 1, 2009 at 1:56 pm

As the foremost spokesman for sharks I would like to express our outrage that you so-called media organizations are providing this story any level of validity. We have made great strides towards normalizing our relationship with you humans via our “People are friends, not food!” campaign only to see our results slipping away with outrageous accusations.

I would like to address our grievances on a point by point basis.

First, contrary to reports in Variety, the sea bass have not employed sharks to ward off paparazzi. This is a ridiculous statement when you stop to consider that the only thing sea bass are good for is eating, not that we would ever do that.

Second, a full grown great white can expert over 9000 Newton at the tip of its jaws. Surely even the mildest of juvenile sharks would have no problem breaking the skin of anyone who can afford an underwater digital camera.

I think the most obvious answer is that this swimmer is a member of FUD, Friends uf Dolphins, an organization clearly out to discredit sharks as the peaceful people-loving fish we are. I think that the Carlsbad lifeguards are correct to believe that this woman spent a great deal of time with an Exacto knife in some transparent attempt to frame sharks.

It would be a shame if continued coverage of this story undid all of the progress that sharks have made since the production of that horrible smear piece Jaws.

tdelgado September 2, 2009 at 11:52 pm

This is funny but sad bro, i saw her 8/27 and she looked like hell black and blue and the teeth DID break through skin she just didnt need stitches. The pics you are seeing are from 1 week later after medication and care of the area. She is down playing this so much, she doesnt want people to be scared of the water or hate sharks. Scripps and Collier have both confirmed it as a jeuv. white shark. My bro saw her when it happened and she was bleeding and could barly walk she had to be helped up the stairs and was in shock. Leave the poor girl alone.

Bill Clinton September 8, 2009 at 8:58 pm

I’d like to take a nibble on that leg too…

Too Much Drama September 28, 2009 at 5:14 pm

I love how the story changed, one time she says she ran out of the water, didn’t see anything at all except a shadow, and the next she was dragged, shook (impossible without bleeding obviously), and body surfed out of the waves. I think someone’s been watching too many movies, or is dying for attention!

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