Great White Shark Encounters Kayaker Off California Coast

A man fishing from a kayak off the coast of San Mateo County, California, experienced a startling close encounter with a great white shark. David Slavich was fishing on Sunday when the apex predator swam just inches from his vessel.

Slavich captured the moment on video as he was filming his fishing reel. He turned to see the shark swimming directly behind his kayak. "Oh my god, there's a great white shark," he said in the footage as he quickly reeled in his fishing line.

The shark's dorsal fin was visible above the water as it passed by the kayak. After the encounter, the animal submerged and disappeared from view.

Slavich described the experience as one he would never forget, noting a moment where it felt as though he and the shark were looking at each other. He stated he felt more awe and fascination than fear.

"It’s an experience I’ll never forget," Slavich told Storyful News.

Great white sharks inhabit the open ocean worldwide and migrate seasonally to areas with water temperatures between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, according to NOAA Fisheries. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife notes that most interactions between humans and sharks are not predatory. Instead, they are often exploratory bites as sharks investigate unfamiliar objects in their environment, such as kayaks. In California, great white sharks are responsible for the majority of incidents involving humans and sharks.