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Two Hammerhead Encounters Whip San Diego Beaches into Frenzy

Beaches from La Jolla Shores to Scripps Pier were shut down and then reopened after kayakers encountered hammerhead sharks.

This weekend, two separate hammerhead shark sightings whipped San Diego beaches into a frenzy. The first sighting caused beach closures from La Jolla to Scripps Pier on Saturday after kayakers documented an encounter with an 8- to 10-foot hammerhead at around 1 PM.

The kayakers appeared tense in the video, laughing uncomfortably, as they watched the hammerhead circle them.

After reopening the beaches, second encounter took place on Sunday. This time, a 6- 8-foot hammerhead approached a kayaker around noon about one mile off La Jolla Shores. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the shark may have been attracted to blood from fish the kayaker had caught earlier.

The beaches remain open, although officials issued a Shark Advisory.

According to Wikipedia, only three of the ten known species of hammerhead are considered dangerous to humans: the scalloped, great, and smooth hammerheads. As of 2013 there have been 33 attacks, but no fatalities.