Santa Cruz shark victim an avid surfer
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff ’s Office on Sunday identified the man killed Saturday in a shark attack at Sand Dollar Beach as 26yearold Ben Kelly, an avid surfer and smallbusiness owner wellknown in his community.
Kelly was surfing at the beach, south of Santa Cruz, at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday when he was attacked by an unknown shark species, according to the California State Parks department.
The Sheriff ’s Office said the attack took place within 100 yards of the shore.
Kelly, who handcrafted custom surfboards, was a fixture in Santa Cruz’s surfing community known for his passion and dedication to the sport.
He began shaping boards as a kid as a way
to escape to a “simpler more creative space.”
“What started as a way to fuel my own surfing passion has now become a way to stoke out my fellow surfers, and that is truly fulfilling to me,” Kelly said on his website. “It’s the way I have found to give back to others.”
His boards were used by surfers around the world, including in Bali, South Africa, Mexico, Central America, Peru and Hawaii, his website said.
Friends posted tributes to Kelly’s Instagram page after learning of the news.
“Your life was a blessing to all,” said one.
“Ben you were one of a kind, one of the good ones, and you will be sorely missed,” said another.
Peter Mel, a professional surfer and the coowner of the Freeline Surf Shop in Santa Cruz, called the attack a shock that quickly reverberated through the region’s large surf community.
“The attack happened at 1:30 and by 2 most of the community knew,” said Mel.
Mel said that the time of day of the attack surprised him. Generally, surfers are most concerned about sharks in the mornings and early evenings.
“I’ve been surfing my whole life. There’s more sharks around now than we’ve ever seen,” said Mel. “It’s a little scary. I grew up at that beach. ... You’re always aware.”
Mel last surfed on the beach Friday.
He compared Kelly’s death to the 1981 fatal shark attack of Lewis Boren in Pacific Grove, an event Mel said impacted his generation of surfers.
Although Mel didn’t know Kelly personally, he saw him around the community.
“We know the passion he had,” said Mel. “I feel sorry for his family, especially on Mother’s Day.”
Under state parks protocol, the water 1 mile south and north of the incident location will be closed for five days and not be reopened until Thursday.