‘Most traumatic’: Deranged sea lion, poisoned toxic algae, launches terrifying attack on surfer | Trending

A surfer in California was left traumatised after being attacked a sea lion, which experts believe was under the influence of a toxic algae bloom spreading along the coast. Explorer Rj LaMendola shared details of the terrifying encounter in a Facebook post.(@rjLaMendola) Photographer and explorer Rj LaMendola shared details of the terrifying encounter in a Facebook post, describing it as the most frightening experience of his two decades of surfing. “Today, I endured the most harrowing and traumatic experience of my 20 years of surfing,” LaMendola wrote in his post. The incident took place at Oxnard State Beach Park, where LaMendola was surfing about 150 yards from the shore. According to him, the sea lion appeared suddenly and charged at him with alarming speed. “Out of nowhere, the mammal erupted from the water and hurtled at me full speed like an aquatic ‘Cujo’,” he recalled. “Its mouth gaped wide, teeth flashing, and its eyes locked onto me with an unsettling ferocity. My heart lurched as I instinctively yanked my board to the side, paddling frantically to evade it as it barreled forward, intent on crashing into me.” Take a look at the video: LaMendola narrowly escaped the first attack but soon realised the danger was far from over. “I barely dodged that first charge, my breath catching as I spun around, desperate to head for shore,” he said. The sea lion briefly disappeared but returned aggressively, striking LaMendola’s surfboard with force. “Like the moment after a horror movie’s false climax, the sea lion charged again with its teeth bared akin to some deranged predator,” he wrote. “This time, it slammed into my board with unbelievable force, diving beneath me in a swift, fluid arc that sent a shiver down my spine.” The animal kept retreating and attacking, giving the surfer little chance to escape. LaMendola defended himself with his surfboard and attempted to swim back to shore during the brief pauses. During one of the encounters, he tried to hit the sea lion, but the animal skillfully dodged him. “I attempted to sock my assailant, only for it to dodge the clumsy strike with eerie agility,” LaMendola wrote. The sea lion then bit him on his left buttock and dragged him off his board. “The animal then wheeled around and clamped its jaws around the waterman’s left butt cheek, before dragging him off his board and into the drink,” he wrote. “I don’t know how to describe the fear that gripped me in that moment. So far from shore, so helpless, staring into the face of this creature that looked like nothing I’d ever seen — its expression was feral, almost demonic, devoid of the curiosity or playfulness I’d always associated with sea lions.” After struggling to keep the sea lion at bay, LaMendola finally reached the shore. He said the animal continued charging at him until his feet touched the sand. His wetsuit was torn from the bite, leaving a puncture wound on his body. Also read: Google employees complain of smaller salary hikes in recent all-hands meeting: report LaMendola drove himself to the hospital for treatment and later reported the attack to the Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute. The organisation told him that they had witnessed a spike in similar incidents along the coast of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Experts suspect that the sea lion was suffering from Domoic Acid Toxicosis, a neurological condition caused consuming fish tainted toxic algae known as Pseudo-nitzschia. “Domoic acid can cause animals to act erratically, and they can be dangerous when affected the neurotoxin,” said NOAA spokesperson Michael Milstein. Reflecting on the attack, LaMendola said, “The sea lion that attacked me wasn’t just acting out — it was sick, its mind warped this poison coursing through its system. Knowing that doesn’t erase the terror, but it adds a layer of sadness to the fear.” Also read: Bill Gates warns of AI disrupting jobs but says these careers will survive the AI shift