Portions of the Pacific Ocean in Huntington Beach are expected to reopen at 8 a.m. today after being closed because a shark bumped a surfer.
The surfer told lifeguards he was bumped by the shark about 8:45 a.m. Friday at Beach Boulevard, a mile south of the Huntington Beach Pier, according to Marine Safety Lt. Claude Panis.
The surfer paddled back ashore to safety and immediately told lifeguards about the encounter with the shark, which he described as 5 to 8 feet in length.
Lifeguards then ordered everyone out of the ocean.
“He was bumped, which meets our criteria for aggressive behavior” that justifies restricting access to the ocean, Panis said.
No one was being allowed in the water from Beach Boulevard to the pier, and state parks officials were doing the same on their portion of the shore, Panis said.
The beaches remained open to all other activity.
