Shark bite reported at Maha‘ulepu

PO‘IPU — A Lihu‘e man reports being bitten by a shark while surfing Monday afternoon at Maha‘ulepu Beach.

Steve Stotts, 44, was sitting on his board just over the reef, about 100 yards offshore near Gillian’s surf break, when he was bitten on the foot, according to his spouse Rachel, 31.

At around 4:30 p.m., the couple had observed a Hawaiian monk seal acting erratically and then disappearing. Around five minutes later Steve was bitten on his left foot.

The couple first thought it was the seal that bit him because it had been acting strangely. It was only later that they came to believe a shark had chased the seal and bit him instead.

“There were several people talking about recent tiger shark sightings but we didn’t see it,” Rachel said. “It was the doctor who said it was a shark bite.”

Rachel was also surfing that day. She said she had just caught a wave and was paddling back out when Steve yelled really loudly that something had bit his foot.

“He never felt any pressure,” she said. “It just clamped down and let go immediately.”

Steve told his wife he was bleeding and couldn’t walk. Other surfers and onlookers helped the couple get him to their truck and they drove to West Kaua‘i Medical Center.

The bite went through a tendon on top of Steve’s foot, Rachel said.

Steve received 16 stitches on the top of his foot and few more on the bottom, Rachel said. They are hopeful that he will heal up well after the doctor labored to locate and reattach the tendon.

The couple has surfed the beach weekly for 12 years. This is the first time anything like this has happened, Rachel said.

The County of Kaua‘i urges anyone with a shark sighting to call the Ocean Safety Bureau at 241-4984. Generally, if there is a confirmed shark sighting, officials will close the beach.

• Tom LaVenture, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or tlaventure@thegardenisland.com.