Shark ID on Malibu Road

[TrojanCatMan]

I am trying to ID the sharks we (my buddy and I) saw. I have reviewed my fish books... the best guess I have at this point is a young soupfin (which was my initial guess). Yesterday there were two of them in the water (stating the obvious there) at about 22 feet, 59 degree water, sandy bottom (no reef structure) and they startled very easily and swam away along the bottom. The encounter lasted 10-15 seconds tops as they scurried away in fear underneath me. I only remember the sharks head up to the dorsal in detail... I no detailed tail memories. The nose was round and the jaw was just underneath. The nose to dorsal fin was on the same plane (not elevated). I do not know if the bottom of the shark was also flat like his back. The body was a stereotypical shark blue-gray-brown with no distinct markings or changes in color along the back. Much larger than a petting pool shark but way smaller than something you would see in the shark tank at a aquarium. I would guess about 3-3.5 long and a body width that was neither surprising narrow or wide, maybe about 10 inch.

Either way seeing those two was awesome... I just now want to put a name to it! I have looked around in books and can say it is not: Great White, Mako, Leopard, Dogfish, Blue, Horn, or Swell

Your guesses are appreciated! I tried to write everything I remembered... but if you have any questions I'd be happy to answer.

 

[LAJim]

Given the location I would say Nick Nolte and Mel Gibson.

 

[TrojanCatMan]

It wasn't Mel Gibson or Nick Nolte... These two had control of their swimming.

 

[Empty V]

Hey Jeremy, did they look like this?

Or maybe like this?

Billy

 

[TrojanCatMan]

It was definitely the color of the first one.

BTW Billy the directions worked perfectly! Some photos from the dive:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wortzman/sets/72157600879746255/

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Likely a Soupfin. They are fairly common in shallow water during the Summer.
http://www.sharkresearchcommittee.com/soupfin.htm

 

[Empty V]

It was definitely the color of the first one.

BTW Billy the directions worked perfectly! Some photos from the dive:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wortzman/sets/72157600879746255/

I'm so stoked you found it bro, great pics too. I really dig the one of the octo. If the sharks you saw were the same as the one on the top they were Gray Smoothhounds. I've never seen them below the surface, just on my fishing line and I think they max out at about 5' long.

Billy

 

[TrojanCatMan]

Looking more at the photos I am pretty convinced it was soupfin. That was so cool .

 

[drbill]

There are a few more photos of soupfins in my newspaper column on them.

They are skittish and frighten easy at the sound of a diver's bubbles or quick movements. Up until about 2001 there had only been a single attack recorded since the 1600's. That year the number quadrupled due to three "attacks" here off Catalina. I had written a front page article about these sharks since two dozen or so were present in Lover's Cove (Avalon). I mentioned that they were not at all dangerous as long as you didn't provoke them. That weekend three idiots entered the water at Lover's Cove and grabbed their tails and dorsal fins. They got exactly what they deserved. Of course rather than list these as "attacks," they should be merely examples of self defense. The town kept it hushed up... I didn't find out about it until much later from the physician who treated them.

 

[JMdiver]

Hey Billy how come you give good directions to everyone but me. Where's the love man.

John