Close Encounters Of The Strangest Kind
Sharks rule their domain in the world’s oceans. The apex predators strike fear in marine mammals and man.
And, at least on one occasion this week in San Juan Capistrano, California, golfers at the San Juan Hills Golf Club had a close call when a 2-foot leopard shark that fell from the sky.
The course marshal picked up the bleeding shark and took it to the clubhouse where he put it in a bucket of water. The shark was suffering with puncture wounds from a bird that had apparently plucked it from the nearby Pacific Ocean and inadvertently dropped it over the 12th tee.
“We knew we had to get it to the ocean as fast as possible,” said Melissa McCormack. An employee drove it back to the ocean and placed it in the water.
It did not immediately moved…and then its natural instincts kicked in. It flopped, it flipped and then took off, swimming fast away from its aerial adventure.
Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source 
The course marshal picked up the bleeding shark and took it to the clubhouse where he put it in a bucket of water. The shark was suffering with puncture wounds from a bird that had apparently plucked it from the nearby Pacific Ocean and inadvertently dropped it over the 12th tee.
“We knew we had to get it to the ocean as fast as possible,” said Melissa McCormack. An employee drove it back to the ocean and placed it in the water.
It did not immediately moved…and then its natural instincts kicked in. It flopped, it flipped and then took off, swimming fast away from its aerial adventure.
Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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