DEL MAR, Calif. — Caleb Adams, the swimmer bitten in the chest by a shark last week, is now out of the hospital and recovering at home.
The 46-year-old North County resident was swimming with a club in Del Mar on June 2 when the shark bit him without warning.
“When I saw how bad it was for the first time, I realized I don't want him to see this and so I just tried to cover up with my hand so he wouldn't look down,” said Cameron Whiting who, along with fellow club member Kevin Barrett, heard Caleb's screams for help.
The two swimmers raced over to Caleb and brought him to shore. After spending several days in the hospital, and undergoing surgery, Caleb is now recovering at home.
Dr. Chris Lowe with the Cal State Long Beach Shark Lab is now running a series of tests to figure out what kind of shark took a bite out of Caleb, how many of them are in the area, and how long they stick around in one spot.
“The DNA results, we probably won't get back probably for a couple weeks to a couple months,” Dr. Lowe said.
He is also hoping they figure out why the shark bit Caleb in the first place.
“Whether it's feeding related, whether it's defensive related, it's hard to tell so they more information we can get, the better," he said.
This past weekend, sharks attacked three people in Florida. A 15-year-old girl and a 45-year-old woman both lost limbs.
All of the victims are expected to survive, but it begs the question - why is this happening?
Dr. Lowe believes climate change is a factor because more people are heading to the beach to escape the heat.
“Shark populations are recovering because of conservation and management, which is good, but you're putting more and more people in the water than ever before," Lowe said.
That said, Dr. Lowe stresses that bites are still extremely rare, and Caleb's swim club buddies agree. They have already returned to the water, but are taking more precautions, including swimming closer together as a group.
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