Janice R. Andrews
A two-mile section of the water in San Clemente has been closed by officials due to a frightening encounter between a surfer and an aggressive shark. Around 7:55 p.m. on Sunday, the event happened at T-Street beach, which is located just south of the San Clemente Pier. According to San Clemente Marine Safety Lt. Sean Staubenbaur, the surfer was thrown off his board after witnessing a huge, dark object approaching him.
Lifeguards implemented a 24-hour closure for the protection of beachgoers in response to the surfer’s report. The closure was slated to end at 8 p.m. on Monday and extend one mile north and one mile south of the location. As of 5 p.m., despite continuous monitoring, no additional shark sightings had been reported.
The public could still access the beach and sand area, but the waters were still off-limits. Despite being saddened by the closure, several beachgoers changed their plans to take advantage of Memorial Day weekend. Six-year-old Waylon Andino continued his lemonade fundraiser, stressing the value of savoring time spent with loved ones.
Pat Conboy, who had gone to the beach with his son and friend, took the situation in stride and rearranged their itinerary to include a different preferred location. This closure serves as a reminder of the lifeguard agencies’ alertness, which puts the public’s safety first and reacts quickly to any hostile conduct or shark sightings.
A reminder of previous shark encounters, like the one that involved Maria Korcsmaros eight years ago off Newport Beach, is also provided by this Memorial Day weekend. Beachgoers are asked to exercise caution and follow safety procedures while authorities keep an eye on the situation.
