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Shark attacks kayak in Cambria

May 15, 2012

A great white shark took a bite out of the kayak of a Paso Robles man who was fishing with friends off the waters of Cambria on Saturday at about 1:30 p.m.

Joey Nocchi, 30, of Paso Robles was fishing for rockfish with a couple of friends when the 15-foot shark came up from underneath and knocked his kayak several feet in the air, flipped it over, then bit a hole in the vessel, and dumped Nocchi in the water.

Nocchi climbed on top of the upside down kayak while the shark retreated to deeper waters. He then flipped the kayak over and paddled for shore with his vessel taking on water.

Officials posted signs along the beach warning surfers, swimmers, and boaters of the attack.


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1978 I was surfing hazard canyon and here comes a big set of waves with an at least 25″ Great white riding the biggest wave, going at least 35-45 mph, with the spray blasting off him I could see him coming from at least a mile away, needless to say this is not my best day and I have never been the same since.

So here he comes, big fin 3 feet high, I am praying , please go on bye, but no, I had caught the big sharks eye, and he looked at me as he did a big sweeping cut back on the swell and proceeded to advance right at me coming down and going faster than the swell he was riding.

Okay so I haven’t crapped yet, but when the dam thing goes under water about 35 feet away coming straight at me I said,” To hell with the sitting still shit, I am getting the flock out of here.”

There was a smaller wave infront of the big one the shark was riding, so I paddled as hard as I could not even thinging I could catch this little wave from so far out, the big wave that the shark had out run was behind us causing the smaller wave to break and I was able to catch it and turn left going away from land and into deeper water, I knew there was no way to out run this shark.

So here I am on my knees and am having the time of my life surfing and praying to god this thing from below doesn’t get to eat me on this day. I cut back on the wave after a nice little screaming left hand section and I am looking at the back end of a 25 foot plus shark that doesn’t know I am there, I immediatly pull out of the wave and look toward shore, my surfing buddies, are waving me to stay out.

So this is where it gets good, I am freaking out by now, remeber the big wave the shark came riding in on in the beginning? Well the shark went in so close to the rocks at Hazard Canyon that the big wave came and blew the big shark up over the rocks and into the lagoon right next to where we used to change, Ed Dumong a commercial fisherman was on the beach, he saw my chance for saftey and got everybody there to do jumping jacks and wave me in, I caught the thrid wave of the set and road it all the way in to a foot and ahalf of water, this guy I barely knew is screaming at me to get out of the water NOW!

I was pretty tired but I did what he said and low and behold here is the 25 foot great white flopping around 20′ from the rocks we are all moving back on, the tide was medium and the shark had such good sonar it was able to fine the only way off the reef straight back out in a three foot deep channel, back through the waves like a bull dozer. This is a true story and it was reported to the coast gaurd, I don’t surf now unless there are others in the water, I also feel that since that attack, there has been a dramatic increase in shark ativity on the central coast of California. So becareful and if you do go into the water, remeber you are never alone.


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I think it is fairly well accepted that you will seldom see a shark approaching top side of the water.

They have the stealth advantage unless you have a shark hook fishing from top side off the waters.

I use to scuba dive (NAUI Certified)

Bottom side of water you can see the presence of sharks if the waters are clear.

If they are already feeding on a prey, then your okay so long as you don’t mess near around them.

Spears are useless against them.

Spearguns are inefficient against them.

The shotgun tip spear as I understand it is illegal.

The only effective firearm is a Russian Seal rifle that fires under water.

My Hawaiian Scuba Diving friends say the best thing to carry is a “Dog Stick” which is a sharpened nail at the tip of a stick.

I have one more major surgery to undergo, if and when I recover, I will test fire an old metal crossbow (120 pounds) under water using a metal and nylon rod.

If the test results are successful, I will keep it as standard weapon topside (boat) and bottom (Scuba).

If I were a surfer I would carry a dog stick strapped to my legs.


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Wow, that’s a good idea, maybe a big long one that mounts on my back and I can draw it “like Conan” Yeah!


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years ago I use to shark hunt for the jaws to sell. Friend of mine got bit by a small 4 or 5 foot shark while pulling another out of the water. Not a good idea to stick your hand in the water where there is an abundance of blood, chum and sharks. Almost took his hand. We held it together til we got ashore.

Dr. sewed it back on. Afterwards he looked scarred up but hey he still had his hand.


Men do a lot of stupid stuff growing up. God protect fools and babies I guess.


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Sorry for your friend, I was so dumb I let a 36 inch 10lb ling cod grab on to my thumb and take ME to the deck, I was screaming like hell, but had to wait until it opened its ugly mouth and give me back my thumb, true story, fish bite too. Wondering who would give you red, you got green from me.

A kid got his foot bit up pretty bad at the rock by a five foot shark,, your post has a pretty safe message to me, good job.


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Liked your story about the Great White. You are an interesting person, good writer too. Keep it up. God Bless


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Well I ditched all my English classes, and only really have a (graduated early) education, my big break , I took two years of typing in the seventh and eight year of junior high and used to love to write about surfing and romance as a kid, and take pictures, that’s how I got out of English (sorry boring), I took newspaper and yearbook electives, thank you , Mr. Johnson for giving me the A’s,,, and I cut his class to go get almost eaten by the giant shark,

p.s. there are 10 times more whites here now, we were in the water back then, not as many sightings or attacks, thanks.


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Lucky, lucky, lucky! Wow, talk about a close call!


I am glad only the kayak was injured!


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