Fake Shark Attack Warnings

Surfers truly are rascally rabbits. Today I went to Santa Cruz to surf and the first thing I saw were postings on three separate great white shark attacks the previous day, and warnings that it wasn't safe to go in the water.

Being a surfer in what's known as the red triangle for over 25 years I didn't really take the warning to stay out of the water seriously for several reasons.

One: Sharks are out there.

Two: Santa Cruz is really crowded. More items on the menu, and by items I mean surfers, the less chance of me becoming someone's lunch. Internet, sometimes crowds are a good thing.

Three: I decided to surf a spot that wasn't a mile out to sea and was located inside the kelp bed, since two of the reported attacks were outside the kelp bed. That was enough to make me feel safe......

Four: The waves looked really fun!

In other words, three separate shark attacks the day before an epic south swell began filling in were not going to keep me out of the water. Today anyways.

Trust me, there have been plenty of times I have "avoided" certain spots because of shark sightings or attacks. I have sharkdar, radar for sharks, I hope.

But before I paddled out I facebooked, instagrammed and tweeted the picture of the ominous shark attack warning with the caption "Stay inside the kelp, today, kids."

Stay inside the kelp today, kids. #greatwhitesightings #surfing #capitola twitter.com/wendysurf/stat…

— Wendy Sea (@wendysurf) June 6, 2013

It was kind of a joke. But since two of the supposed attacks happened right outside the kelp beds I wanted to believe the kelp was my friend, who would fiercely protect me like her own baby.

Ironically, the only thing that attacked me today was the kelp monster. Imagine, a giant octupus with a thousand tentacles wrapped around me and my surfboard that won't let go. (Shivers)

By the way, the waves were really fun and the swell was only starting to build. When I came in my legs felt like limp noodles from riding waves. In Santa Cruz the waves are loooooong!

Anywho, by the time I came in from my session 9 people had shared my photo on Facebook, 7 of whom I didn't even know.

KGO news tweeted me their phone number to give them a call......

And Hubby and my neighbor were both texting me about the shark warning signs.

"Did you see the fake signs," texts Hubby.

"R they really fake?" I text.

"Yes," texts Hubby. And he sent me this link.

The clue was at the bottom of the flyer:

DUE TO THE HIGHLY AGGRESSIVE NATURE OF THESE ENCOUNTERS IT IS STRONGLY ADVISED TO STAY OUT OF THE WATER FOR 48 HOURS OR SURF COWELLS INSTEAD.

Cowells is surf break for beginners learning how to surf. And by beginners, I mean people with Costco surfboards. Not that there's anything wrong with that......

Anyways, I inadvertantly and unintentionally spread a hoax thanks to my need to share with everyone on social media. I felt a little silly when I learned the flyer was a hoax, and I probably should have read the entire flyer, instead of reading only the scary parts, but I'm human.

On my way out of town I stopped in a surf shop to feel up some sexy surfboards.

The person working in the shop, who I'm not facebook friends with says, "Oh hey Wendy, my facebook friend just shared your picture with me. And now you're here, that's weird.............."

It was a little weird......but that's the power of social media to spread information, true and false, like wildfire, which would be a great name for a social network....

All in all it was a pretty good, non-violent trick. Most importantly, there were a lot less Costco surfboards in the lineup during my session.........