Shark attack on surfer prompts warning in Santa Cruz

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- State parks officials are urging beach-goers in the Santa Cruz area to be on alert after a shark was spotted attacking a seal in the waters off a public beach.

California State Parks Supervising Ranger Joe Connors says the shark was seen about 50 yards off Seabright State Beach on Sunday. Connors tells the Santa Cruz Sentinel (http://bit.ly/1AQLb2v) a woman reported that the shark was flipping the seal into the air. She also saw blood in the water.

Connors says reports of such shark attacks off state beaches are uncommon. Still, park officials plan to post warnings in Santa Cruz and nearby Twin Lakes for three days.

Surfer Beau Browning says a great white shark knocked him off of his surfboard and took a chunk out of it over the weekend. He says a great white shark, about 10 to 15 feet long, came out of the water while he was surfing at Manresa State Beach Saturday.

Browning wasn't hurt and swam about 150 feet to shore and to safety.