A surfer bitten by a shark Saturday morning off Marina State Beach north of Monterey, Calif., remained hospitalized Sunday night, but was expected to recover from wounds to his neck and right arm.
Eric Tarantino, 27, was fortunate that his red surfboard bore the brunt of the attack, and that the bite narrowly missed vital arteries. The shark, presumably a large great white, tore a 19-inch chunk from the board.
Bev Mikalonis, spokeswoman for Regional Medical Center of San Jose, told the San Jose Mercury News that the doctor treating Tarantino referred to the surfer as "the luckiest unlucky guy he's ever met" because the wound was so close to the jugular vein and carotid artery.
The attack occurred just after 7 a.m. Signs warning people to stay out of the water have been posted from Ford Ord to Moss Landing and will remain up through the week.
The incident occurred nine days after an Oregon surfer escaped injury after a large shark bit savagely into the front of his board, briefly lifting the board and surfer out of the water.
White sharks are ambush hunters that prey largely on seals and sea lions, and surfers sitting or paddling at the surface may resemble natural prey in the eyes of the apex predators.
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