Incident Report
Great White Strikes Paddleboarder's Board off Santa Barbara Coast
A 50-year-old paddleboarder was knocked into the water when a great white shark struck his board near Goleta Beach. The shark bit the nose and rail of the SUP in two separate strikes before disappearing. No injuries were sustained.
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Incident Profile
Circumstances
Environmental
Individual
Location
Description
On the morning of July 20, 2017, Rolf Geyling, a 50-year-old paddleboarder, encountered a great white shark while stand-up paddleboarding off Seal Rocks at Goleta Beach near Santa Barbara, California. At approximately 8:00 AM, in calm conditions with water temperatures around 65°F, Geyling was about three-quarters of a mile from shore on his 14-foot SUP raceboard when the shark approached from below in a sudden strike. The initial attack struck the nose of the paddleboard with such force that Geyling was knocked backward into the water. He observed the shark's tail thrashing nearby and managed to retrieve his board using his ankle leash. The shark returned moments later and bit the rail of the board on the opposite side before submerging and departing the area. Geyling reported seeing the shark's jaw, teeth, and nostrils during the second strike. The estimated 8-foot great white shark succeeded in biting off the nose of the paddleboard but made no contact with the paddler himself. Geyling safely paddled his damaged board to shore without sustaining any injuries. Local authorities responded by posting warning signs at Goleta Beach for the following 72 hours. The incident occurred in an area known for marine life activity, including kelp beds, rays, and marine mammals that frequent nearby rocks. This unprovoked incident was documented by the Global Shark Attack File as an investigator confirmed interaction between paddler and predator.