Scott Stephens is recovering after undergoing surgery to close a 14-inch bite wound. Stephens was surfing off the coast of Eureka two days ago when the shark pulled him under. The 25-year-old believes it was a great white.
"It pinned me under and kind of shook me," he said. "You know, it came out of nowhere. I punched the shark in the side of the head a couple times until it released me."
A punch also saved Folsom resident Mariko Haugen. She says she was attacked by a 12-foot tiger shark off Maui this week. She says her martial arts training prepared her and she punched it twice.
