In a beach town where almost everyone swims in the ocean, sharks have never really been a big problem.

Recently though, Francisco Javier Solorio, Jr. was killed by a Great White Shark off the Santa Barbara Coast while surfing at Surf Beach on Oct. 23.

Although the Santa Barbara Coast is not known for shark attacks, this attack comes as no surprise. It is the seventh shark attack, and the first on a human this year.

The attacks began July 24. When a mature sea lion was spotted at East Beach who had been attacked by a shark.

The attack was confirmed to be done by a Great White Peter Howorth, Director of the Marine Mammal Center.

Just a day later, a charter boat captain who had observed a Great White attacking a sea lion off Leadbetter Beach reported another attack.

The attacks and sightings kept coming and Oct. 23, the first shark attack on a human of the year.

Most recently, an adult harbor seal drifted onto Rincon Beach with Great White shark bites on Nov. 2.

The sightings of Great White Sharks off the coast of Santa Barbara have raised many concerns of the safety of our local waters.

More importantly, however, it serves as a reminder that we are trespassing into the sharks’ home whenever we step foot into the water.

An avid surfer, Laguna eighth grader Shea Riley, co-founder of the newly formed Surf Club, gave his input on how he feels about the recent shark attacks and sightings off the Santa Barbara Coast, saying:

“My feeling of safety didn’t change very much because I feel like there have always been just as many sharks, just now people know where and how to look for them, and some of the reports aren’t even very accurate.

I’ve been reminded that the ocean is [the sharks’] home and that they were there in the first place. They also normally don’t go for humans unless they are very hungry, so I’m not scared.”