So my day started out like every other weekend. Out on the water, searching for halibut, and possibly a WSB still hanging around the area. Never found any. Did see a school of bonito so I was trolling for them at the time when all of this madness began. At 1:03 in the video I felt a bump to the back of my kayak and you notice I turn to see what it was. Saw nothing so I looked right. Nothing. Then felt the bump again and turned back to the left to see this hammerhead who looked like he meant business. He hits my kayak 1 more time, which you can clearly see, and thats when I decided I needed to do something about the situation. I knew that the only way I was gonna be in real danger was if I was in the water. And I also knew as long as the shark didn't hit my kayak anymore, there's no way I would be in the water. So I chose to use my paddle to keep him away from my kayak. I had other options. There was a 3" knife in the compartment right next to me. And a rather oversized gaff with a 3 foot handle right behind me. Both of which I considered during the event but I preferred to not seriously hurt the shark if I didn't have to. Theres a lot of people going around saying pretty awful things about this, and I know thats what half of the people online use the internet for anyways, but please save your words for someone who deserves them. Or don't say them at all. Theres more than enough hate in this world already. I was close to a mile from any help and by myself with no boats in the area. If I had been knocked in the water and was splashing around, theres a great chance the shark would have come up and bit me to see if I was food. One good bite from those teeth, that far away from any help, I almost surely would have bled out. So I did what I felt necessary to defend myself. Please don't come on here and tell me how I shouldn't have been in their natural environment. This planet belongs to every living thing on it and we all have the right to go wherever we want. Except maybe not North Korea. I wouldn't recommend that. If we aren't allowed in a predators natural environment then we better all pack up and move into outer space. Because every square inch of this planet is a predators natural environment. Don't tell me hammerheads are mellow and it wouldn't hurt me. Every animal, just like every human, is different. This is a shark that has NEVER, in the 30 years I've lived in this area, been seen here. So who knows what is going through its head. And I didn't wanna find out. I'm just glad that both myself and the shark got out of this with no permanent damage. And yes, I'll probably be back out there fishing in the near future. The ocean is a wild place where wild things can happen. Its a risk you need to accept before you enter the waters. But more importantly, be prepared for. Never assume things are gonna go the way you expect out there because your plans can be changed at any minute. We must respect the ocean and share the ocean. Its not ours. Its not theirs. Its all of ours and we all depend on its health for our survival. To use this video in a commercial player or broadcast, please email
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