A surfer has recounted the terrifying moment a six-foot shark launched an attack, sending him flying and destroying his board off the coast of California.
The Sudden Attack in Gualala
Tommy Civik had been in the water for less than ten minutes near Gualala in Mendocino County when the incident occurred on January 17, 2026. He described being hit by the large creature before he even saw it approaching. His friend, Marco Guerrero, witnessed the event, seeing the shark bite Mr Civik before snatching half of his surfboard.
With clear teeth marks in his leg and roughly 150 feet from dry land, Mr Civik was forced to swim for his life to escape. He only became fully aware of the extent of his injuries after he made it out of the water.
Incredible Luck and an Adrenaline-Fuelled Response
Speaking to the LA Times about his ordeal, the surfer said, ‘I was unbelievably lucky. My board took all the impact, and the teeth just grazed me.’ Despite the shock and the arrival of first responders, Mr Civik insisted on driving himself to the hospital for treatment.
‘I had quite a bit of adrenaline, and since I could walk, I drove myself to the hospital,’ he explained. His wounds required stitches, and his ripped wetsuit has been taken for testing by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to identify the species of shark involved.
Determined to Return to the Waves
Remarkably, the shark attack has not deterred Tommy Civik's passion for surfing. He remains determined to get back in the water, reasoning, ‘If it’s already unlikely to get attacked by a shark once, how could it happen twice? I don’t think this will stop me.’
This incident stands in stark contrast to other recent, fatal shark encounters. Last week, 56-year-old Arlene Lillis was killed while swimming at Dorsch Beach in Saint Croix, US Virgin Islands. In a separate tragedy over Christmas, 55-year-old Erica Fox was found dead after disappearing from Monterey Beach in California, despite wearing a shark deterrent anklet.
