Watch How This Lone Kayaker Reacts When a Menacing Great White Shark Circles Him

Kayaking is a fun summer activity that the entire family can enjoy. Whether you choose to paddle in a nearby lake or you’re feeling gutsy and surf a raging river, it’s a great way to beat the summer heat! 

The waters of Northern California are home to great white sharks, especially in the hot summer months. One brave kayaker spotted a great white shark during an excursion in the ocean that left him absolutely baffled.

Check Out the Video Below!

Ilan Toussieh is spotted kayaking in Northern California in the footage that was uploaded to the Fisherman’s Chronicles YouTube channel. The shark then starts to circle the kayak. The shark keeps circling the kayak while the man starts recording it. At one point, Toussieh mentions that the shark is as big as his kayak. 

Although most great white sharks are smaller, the largest can grow to be 20 feet long. While males can grow to 11 to 13 feet, the average female is 15 to 16 feet long. Toussieh records the shark in the water using a GoPro camera. Then, while still on the water, he calls out to another boater to alert them to the approaching shark.

A Lucky Getaway

After having such a close encounter with one of the world’s most feared predators, the kayaker was left in shock. “When I spotted the shark, I was initially shocked. The sun had just come out, so the water was still a very dark blue,” he says. “I was looking at the water when all of a sudden, what looked like a huge grey submarine came under the kayak. I saw its face and eyes, and seeing its white underside, instantly recognized it as a great white shark,” Toussieh continued. 

Sharks frequently circle underwater objects. Many people claim that they perform this action prior to assaulting their victim. Yet according to scientists, this is only a shark’s method of improving their perception of what is in the water. More so than out of aggression, these animals are simply curious. 

Great whites are capable of making a clear jump out of the water to kill seals and sea lions. A large shark would not have any trouble knocking someone out of a watercraft, particularly a kayak.

In the YouTube video above, a comment points out what everyone is thinking: “It’s one thing to see a huge great white shark pass by your kayak. But to see the shark circling your kayak so many times … terrifying.”

You can hear a slight tremble in Toussieh’s voice, but who can blame him? He handled the situation perfectly, which is likely why he didn’t end up as shark bait. That, and as we mentioned earlier, sharks are curious creatures and rarely have an interest in hurting humans. Thankfully, the giant great white and all the kayakers went about their day without a scratch.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © karelnoppe/Shutterstock.com