PAKALA — A shark attacked a surfer on the Westside of Kaua‘i Wednesday afternoon. The shark attacked the left foot of a man from Kalaheo, age 60, at 1:20 p.m. Wednesday at the Pakala surf break, according to Kaua‘i Police
PAKALA — A shark attacked a surfer on the Westside of Kaua‘i Wednesday afternoon.
The shark attacked the left foot of a man from Kalaheo, age 60, at 1:20 p.m. Wednesday at the Pakala surf break, according to Kaua‘i Police spokeswoman Sarah Blane.
The man was transported in a private vehicle to Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waimea, where his condition remains unknown.
The surfer told officials he saw the shark bite his foot.
Officials estimate the shark to be at least 10 feet long, according to a report from the Department of Conservation and Resources Enforcement. DOCARE is a division of Hawai‘i’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, which manages the land where Pakala Beach is located.
Lifeguards and the Kaua‘i police were notified of the attack after the fact as no county resources were used in the situation, Blane said.
Pakala Beach is located between Port Allen and Waimea on the Westside of the island.
DOCARE is in the process of determining whether or not to close Pakala Beach and posted shark warning signs on an approximate half-mile stretch of the beach.
DOCARE officers will return today and assess the beach for any shark sightings. If nothing is seen, the signs will be removed at noon.
Officers from DOCARE were on the beach Wednesday to warn the public.
The most recent shark attacks on Kaua‘i were Nov. 4, when a shark bit a surfer’s board at Kekaha, and July 30 at Maha‘ulepu Beach near Po‘ipu, when a shark bit the left foot of a surfer from Lihu‘e.
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.
• Laurie Cicotello, business writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 257) or business@thegardenisland.com
