Woman escapes harm after shark bites her canoe, authorities say

A woman paddled to safety after a 6-foot shark bit her outrigger canoe three miles from the Santa Barbara Harbor, authorities said.

The woman told officials she was paddling in her single-person canoe about 3:50 p.m. Sunday when the shark struck.

The shark, which she described as blue and gray, began chewing her vessel, causing her to fall into the water, said Steve McCullough, supervisor with the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol.

But the woman, whose name hasn’t been released, managed to paddle to shore and away from the shark. She was unharmed.

A surfer up the coast earlier this month wasn’t as lucky when he was attacked by a great white shark a mile north of Wall Beach at Vandenberg Air Force Base, prompting officials to close the beach and two others nearby for 72 hours.

The 28-year-old man suffered a bite to his knee, Air Force officials said. The injury was described as not life-threatening. Witnesses told officials the shark was between 10 and 12 feet long.

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