San Diego Beach Reopens After 2 Shark Sightings in 2 Days

 The coast seems to be clear after shark sightings Saturday and Sunday along the San Diego coastline.

San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesman Lee Swanson said no sharks were seen Monday after kayakers saw a hammerhead shark twice over the weekend.

On Saturday, the shark was circling and video was taken. Shark experts say the movement was aggressive, so authorities closed a two-mile stretch of La Jolla Shores for 24 hours.

Another hammerhead was seen Sunday. Swanson said it was farther offshore so the beach was reopened with a warning to swimmers.

When no shark was sighted Monday, the warning was lifted.

Lee says there hasn't been a shark sighting in La Jolla Shores for about three years.

Ralph Collier, president and founder of the Shark Research Committee, told NBC 7 Monday that El Nino may be one reason the sharks are coming closer than usual to shore.

While they normally swim far offshore, hammerheads are drawn to warm water, and El Nino is bringing higher temperatures to the ocean by San Diego. When warmer tides come closer to the beach, so do the sharks.

Collier, who has been researching shark behavior for years, said there is a very good likelihood that more shark encounters will happen in the future.

However, many beachgoers on Monday did not seem too concerned.

"It's the ocean. It's their water," said Braden Purdy, a Santee resident. "We come in at our own risk no matter what." 

Others decided it would be better to be safe than sorry.

"Obviously we're scared, so I have my kids going ankle-deep in to the water today," said San Diegan Kim Lee. "It's cool to see the sharks out here."

A hammerhead attack on a human is rare. The kayakers on Saturday were fishing, so officials believe the shark was attracted to their fish scent when it followed them to the beach.

Lifeguards are still asking visitors to be on the lookout for sharks and to not swim alone.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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