California Swimmer Grabbed Shark By The Nose: As He Pried Vicious Beast Off His Chest

The victim of a freak shark attack off the California coast is rattled, but back at home.
The 50-year-old long distance swimmer, Steven Robles, of Lomita, has a cast on his arm and several gashes to show for his brush with nature when a bothered shark hooked to a fisherman’s line lashed out at his torso on Saturday morning near a Manhattan Beach pier.

In an interview with KCAL-TV, Robles said he’s feeling sore from the Manhattan Beach attack and has tightness around his chest where the 7-foot to 10-foot-long shark grabbed onto him. And he can’t feel his right thumb because the shark sliced an artery in his right hand.
Despite the pain, Robles looked the shark in the eye and fought back, believing “this might be it.”
“I had enough sense to grab his nose with my right hand and pry him off my body,” Robles told the TV station.
The South Bay realtor was with a group of swimmers trekking from the Hermosa Beach pier to the Manhattan Beach pier. They were about 200 yards away from shore when the shark cut loose from the fishing line and grabbed him.

 

 KCAL Steven Robles, 50, shows off his wounds after a great white shark attacked him on Saturday July 5, at Manhattan Beach in California.

“I had enough sense to grab his nose with my right hand and pry him off my body,” Robles told the TV station.
The South Bay realtor was with a group of swimmers trekking from the Hermosa Beach pier to the Manhattan Beach pier. They were about 200 yards away from shore when the shark cut loose from the fishing line and grabbed him.