Two foil boarders had a hair-raising encounter with a shark, likely a great white, off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. Ron Takeda and Tavis Boise were on a 20-mile run near the University of California, Santa Barbara, when Takeda noticed a large mass trailing behind him.
Takeda initially asked Boise if it was a dolphin, but they quickly realised it was a massive shark in pursuit. The creature followed Takeda closely for about five minutes, its fin visible above the water, as he moved at approximately 10mph. Boise captured the encounter on video, which has since gone viral.
In the footage, Boise can be heard shouting 'Don't fall!' and 'Oh my God, it's coming for you!' Takeda focused on staying upright on his foil board, which resembles a sting ray from below. The shark eventually lost interest and swam away.
Both men have encountered sharks before but never in a chase of such duration. They shared the video with experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who confirmed it was a shark, likely a great white. The footage received over a million views on social media, with some questioning whether it was AI-generated.
Takeda and Boise theorise the foil on the board may have hit the shark, triggering a curious pursuit. 'It's clear that shark chased us for a long time. I'm really certain it was just out of curiosity. It never touched us,' Takeda said. Boise titled his video 'Friendly Shark Chase' to avoid demonising the creature.
