I've been surfing for eight years, living in California. Last September I paddled out past the break, decent spot, but the waves had gone flat so I was just sitting on my board waiting. Then I spotted a fin about twenty yards out. Not a small one.
I pulled my feet up and just sat there. It was heading straight for me.
Out of nowhere, someone jumps off a yacht nearby. Just splash. Massive. Water everywhere.
The shark turns and bolts.
A guy climbs back up onto the swim platform. It took me a second but then I realized who it was, an actor from the show Community. Soaking wet, board shorts, clearly had no idea what just happened. Turns out he just went for a swim. Never saw me, never saw the shark.
I paddled over. He looked down at me from the platform.
Him: You okay?
Me: There was a shark.
Him, after a pause: ...Yeah. I saw it after.
Neither of us said anything for a second. Then he climbed back up and disappeared into the yacht.
I told the guys at the beach. Nobody believed any of it, not the shark, not the actor. My buddies said I got too much sun.My girlfriend said I have a wild imagination. One friend just replied "sure man" and left me on read.
To this day I don't know if he saved me or if it was just dumb luck. But the shark left.