Shark Attack Survivor Describes His Lucky Escape

On Friday, Oct. 3, Raul Armenta was attacked by a shark around 11:30 in the morning. It happened near the Vandenberg Air Force Base Boathouse. Hours later Ryan Howell was attacked.

Both men came inches from a great white shark, the shark taking a bite into the kayaks. Nobody was hurt.

Howell said he didn’t know what hit him, “It felt like forever but it was super quick,” Howell added, “It pushed me through the water another 50 feet.”

Brad Rudolph, a witness, said he was about eight feet away from Howell when the attack happened.

Vince Culliver, president of Jurrasic Sport Fishing said nobody was anymore than 10 feet from one another.

The men knew of Armenta’s attack earlier that morning, but decided to stay in the water, hoping that sticking close together would keep the shark away.

Bubba Armanta, Raul’s son, said the experience was horrifying. He didn’t think another attack would happen the same day.

Culliver described the shark saying “It was double the size of our Kayaks.”

Rudolph said, “It’s mouth was wide open holding on to the kayak. It was going through theair, like a 747 banking, and splashed into the water, and did another 180back toward the water and hit his kayak.”

Bubba Armenta said it had “Huge eyes, huge mouth and teeth, its Gills blowing air and water.”

Experts at the Shark Research Committee say attacks like this are rare, there have been around 150 great white shark attack victims off of California since the year 1900.

Howell said, “It’s still overwhelming, just the surprise that I wasn’t hurt.”