A veteran triathlete known for her compassion towards sharks is feared to have been killed in an attack by one of the predators off the Californian coast. Erica Fox, 55, a founder of the Kelp Krawlers swimming group, vanished from the waters near Lovers Point in Pacific Grove on Sunday afternoon.
A Disappearance During a Routine Swim
Erica Fox had entered the water with her regular swimming group at approximately 11:30 am on Sunday. The group, which meets weekly at Lovers Point, swam west around the point and into Otter Cove. On the return leg, Fox, typically a faster swimmer, was ahead of the others. A club member who left the water early reported seeing a shark breach roughly 100 yards offshore.
Simultaneously, a driver stopped at a nearby junction told the US Coast Guard he witnessed a shark break the surface with what looked like a human body in its mouth before submerging. These alarming reports prompted the remaining swimmers to return immediately to shore, where a headcount revealed Fox was missing.
"It started to click that everybody was back on shore but Erica," said fellow swimmer Sharon Carey. "I just felt numb. I was hoping that maybe she got out of the water and then decided to walk back."
Extensive Search Efforts and a Community in Mourning
First responders from the US Coast Guard, Monterey Fire Department, Seaside Fire, and CAL Fire launched a major search operation. Crews scoured 84 square nautical miles using rescue boats, drones, dive teams, and helicopters. After 15 intensive hours, the search was suspended on Monday evening with no sign of Fox.
Captain Jordan Beldueza of Coast Guard Sector San Francisco expressed the service's "deepest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones affected by this tragic incident." The news has devastated the close-knit swimming community and Fox's family.
Her father, James Fox, described his daughter as a kind, empathetic, and disciplined person—"just an ideal person." He noted her prowess as a swimmer, having competed in half-Ironman events and the challenging Escape from Alcatraz triathlon for nearly two decades. "Erica was doing something yesterday that she really loved," he said. "Swimming was her forte."
A Swimmer Who Respected the Ocean's Dangers
Friends described Fox as an incredibly cheerful and joyful person who was acutely aware of the risks of open-water swimming. She had even attended a 'Sharktober' seminar at the nearby Hopkins Marine Station to educate herself about sharks. In a poignant 2013 Facebook post, she shared an image of a shark swimming near a diver, captioning it, "This is the most dangerous animal in the world and next to it [is] a shark swimming peacefully."
Her respect for the predators was further evident after a fellow Kelp Krawlers member, Steve Bruemmer, survived a severe shark bite at Lovers Point in June 2022. Fox publicly defended the animals, preferring the terms 'incident' or 'bite' over the more sensational 'shark attack.' "We are the ocean ecology's humble guests," she told The Independent at the time.
Following Bruemmer's attack, some swimmers, including Fox, began wearing ankle bands designed to deter sharks, though they later learned the local species might not be affected. Lovers Point lies within Northern California's notorious Red Triangle, a global hotspot for great white shark activity. This incident is the third violent shark encounter at the location since mid-2022.
In the wake of the tragedy, Bruemmer—who has largely recovered from his injuries—suggested it should signal an end to swimming at the site. "I'm going to say it's time," he stated. "Erica was the founder of Kelp Krawlers and this should be the last swim at Lovers Point." The group now faces the difficult decision of whether to return to the waters their founder loved.
