A tape measure shows a bite mark of about 17 inches on the surfboard of a 56-year-old Lahaina man who was attacked Tuesday morning at Honolua Bay. DLNR photo
A 56-year-old Lahaina man was in critical condition Tuesday afternoon after he was bitten by a shark while surfing at Honolua Bay, officials said.
The man was paddling out from the old ramp in the bay Tuesday morning when he was attacked, according to a state Department of Land and Natural Resources news release. He was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center and admitted for surgery, the news release said.
The attack occurred before 8 a.m.
Water clarity was good, DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers reported.
When fire personnel arrived at the scene, the victim was out of the water, said Fire Services Chief Rylan Yatsushiro. He said firefighters worked with medics in tending to the injured man.
A photo provided by DLNR showed a bite in the man’s surfboard that measured about 17 inches across a portion near the middle of the board.
The surfer wasn’t involved in the WSL Women’s Professional Surfing Competition at the bay. The organizers of the event voluntarily suspended the competition, as did the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, which had issued a marine ocean water event permit for the competition.
“We had a shark incident this morning with a recreational surfer,” WSL CEO Erik Logan said in a video posted on Twitter. “Due to that we are putting our event on hold indefinitely. . . . Our thoughts and prayers are obviously with this victim.”
DLNR spokesman Dan Dennison said by email Tuesday afternoon that “DLNR never reports patient conditions.”
Maui Health spokeswoman Tracy Dallarda said shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday that the victim was in critical condition in the hospital.
Surfer Josh Bogle said the event was on hold until 10 a.m. and about a dozen recreational surfers and competitors were free surfing when the attack occurred. He didn’t see the attack and said that water safety officials on Jet Skis arrived to notify surfers, who then paddled to shore.
Bogle said he had just paddled out from the boat ramp a few minutes earlier and recalled seeing “some brown and murky water” in the area. He said a Jet Ski brought him back to the boat ramp, where he sat on shore and prayed for the victim, who was quickly moved from the beach to the ambulance. Bogle said it was fortunate that event staff and first responders were on site.
“The quick response of the EMT-trained personnel and the Maui County Fire and Rescue absolutely saved this guy’s life,” said Bogle, who said he he didn’t know the man personally but knew him from surfing.
Micah Nickens, surf marketing director for Dakine and a coach and board caddy for Oahu surfer Carissa Moore during the event, said he was below the contest site and learned of the attack when one of the athletes went running by. Through the lens of another person’s camera, he could see first responders doing chest compressions on the victim for an estimated 10 minutes.
“It was a pretty emotional moment,” Nickens said. “I was coaching Carissa Moore for the event, and we were all just sitting there in absolute shock.”
He said attacks during competitions are rare, recalling an event in Australia a few years ago when surfer Mick Fanning was knocked off his surfboard by a shark. But this one “was just very, very close to home,” said Nickens, who is from Haiku and grew up surfing Honolua.
“Being a caddy and coach, you’re sitting out in the deep channel just not even thinking about that,” he said. “Meanwhile they could be just swimming right under you. It’s usually not a thought that crosses my mind when I’m out there.”
However, he said the surfers in the competition understand it’s a risk they all take.
“I think it’s always going to be in the back of your head, but the love of surfing will always prevail over the fear of sharks,” Nickens said.
Shark warning signs were placed from D.T. Fleming Beach Park to Punalau Beach, also known as Windmills, covering one mile on either side of Honolua Bay. Following standard procedures, the warning signs were to remain in place until at least noon today, after county and state personnel determine there is no further shark presence.
The shark attack Tuesday followed a report Thanksgiving Day that a 35-year-old California woman was apparently bitten by a shark while swimming about 100 yards offshore from Mahina Surf condominiums in West Maui.
The woman suffered severe trauma injuries to her front torso and was brought to shore by surfers, officials said. She was reported to be alert and oriented when emergency crews arrived.
* Lila Fujimoto can be reached at . Colleen Uechi can be reached at .
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