Lincoln City, OR — On January 13, 2012 Steve Harnack was surfing at Nelscott Reef near Lincoln City, Oregon. The reef is approximately 0.5 miles offshore and creates a reef break with waves frequently 20 feet high. It was 10:00 AM and he had been on the water about 20 minutes. The sky was clear with an air temperature in the mid-40s Fahrenheit. Water temperature was approximately 48 degrees Fahrenheit with 15 – 20 feet of water visibility and a depth of 40 – 50 feet. There were two jet skis in the area assisting about 8 other surfers. No marine mammals were observed in the area. Harnack reported;
“I had traveled beyond the reef about 200 yards by duck-diving through several waves about 20 feet high. I noticed my board dragging as I moved through the water. I had a jet-ski tow me back to the beach where I noticed a section on the bottom of my board had been struck by a shark. A portion of the fiber-glass had been removed and tooth impressions were also present.” Additional information, including photographs of the board's damage, will be posted when available in a few days. Please report any shark sighting, encounter, or attack to the Shark Research Committee.