Warning signs were posted along Torrey Pines State Beach after a swimmer was bumped by a shark believed to be at least 7 feet long on Tuesday morning, a state parks spokesperson said.
State parks officials say they were notified of the shark sighting near Lifeguard Tower 5 around 10:30 a.m. After bumping the swimmer, the shark swam away, the parks service said in a statement.
It was unclear how far from shore the interaction occurred. Officials believe the shark was 7 to 8 feet long although the type of shark was not known.
“To ensure the safety of our visitors, State Park peace officers have posted shark warning signs at beach access points near Towers #2, #5, and #7, as well as at the north boundary with Del Mar City Beach. These warnings will remain in effect for 24 hours,” the statement said.
Officials also reminded beach visitors that sharks are an important part of the coastal ecosystem and that interactions between humans and sharks are rare.
Last June, a swimmer was bitten by a juvenile shark off the coast of Del Mar, about 100 yards offshore from a lifeguard tower at 17th Street. The 46-year-old man was swimming with a group of around a dozen ocean swimmers on an overcast day. He suffered bites to his torso, left arm and hand.
Experts at the time described water off Del Mar down to Torrey Pines as one of Southern California’s hubs for juvenile great white sharks.
Before last summer, the previous shark bite in Del Mar occurred on Nov. 4, 2022, when a woman swimming with friends was bitten on her upper thigh.
