Getting attacked by a Great White shark is traumatic, emotionally, physically, financially and futuristically.

On October 3, 2021, Eric Steinley was surfing a nice, sunny, fall day at Salmon Creek – north of Bodega Bay – when he was attacked by a Great White shark. He made it to the beach under his own steam, where many helpful hands stabilized him and loaded him into a helicopter for a fast ride to the emergency room in Santa Rosa.

Getting attacked by a shark is traumatic, emotionally, physically, financially and futuristically.

Surfers north of the Golden Gate spend more than half the year suffering through fog, onshore winds, flat spells, junky swells, rain, snow, sleet and all kinds of ook, fiending for those clean, fresh blue-sky offshore west swell days in the fall.

And then you get attacked by a shark. A year of recovery, time off work, lack of funds, lack of exertion, lack of adrenaline.

We asked Eric how it’s going.

How you feeling?

Feeling pretty good, I keep pushing myself with PT and exercise until I can’t anymore and then I have to rest again for a couple of days and the process starts over.

Going stir crazy?

Going a little stir crazy but not too bad. I’ve pretty much watched everything on Netflix and have resorted back to drawing which was something I did years ago.

Drawing? A surfboard collector in Malibu wanted to add a shark-chomped board to his quiver. I arranged for him to buy the board from Megan Halavais, who got bit at Salmon Creek in October of 2005. To illustrate the board, he ordered this illustration of what the attack looked like. I hope this isn’t what you’re drawing.

Well I did this drawing and made a t-shirt of it.

You feeling good about a full recovery? What do the doctors say? How often do you do physical therapy?

I go to the hospital to do PT once a week with the therapist and then an additional four days a week at the gym/pool as well as balance and stretching exercises every day. Basically If I don’t stretch my leg straight daily it would just stay slightly bent due to scar tissue. I also have to do range of motion exercises for my foot because I’m only able to move it downward and the same thing would happen.

As far as balance, I don’t have complete feeling in my leg or foot so I’m having to learn to use different muscles to compensate in order to be able to do normal activities. Full recovery is unclear right now. I’ve been told to wait a year to see how much the nerve is going to heal and then we can go from there.

Any cute nurses?

Most definitely.

Has the nerve pain diminished?

Yes it has. I do take medication that dulls the nerve pain sensation but regardless it has gotten much better.

Still no Post Traumatic Shark Distress Dreams? Any weird dreams?

Nope, I even visited the scene of the crime for the first time last weekend. Got to see a bunch of my buddys and watch the surf for a bit. I thought I might have some kinda flashback or something but I didn’t.

A lot of attack victims talk about that, and they don’t like it.

Had I been physically able I would have paddled out into the giant walls of closeouts.

Is your Barcelonan/Basque gal still by your side? Please tell her thank you on behalf of the entire surfing world. She’s a good egg.

The Girlfriend is still holding strong. It definitely hasn’t been easy on the relationship but hopefully we are through the worst of it.

Do you know how much it has all cost?

I do see bills still rolling in and I forward them to my provider. As far as a total I’m not sure yet. I know that I’ll be doing PT and having to take medication for a long time and who knows about the long term expenses. I’m also aware that my medical insurance runs out in February and I will start having to pay for that out of pocket until I’m able to return to work and my hours fill up my “benefits bank.”

We had a NorCal-class winter storm in Malibu the other day and it made me homesick for wild and wooly winters in Santa Cruz. I tell people about your attack and say, aside from the horror of almost dying and/or losing a limb, and the time in the hospital, and getting your surfboard and wetsuit ruined and the medical bills and the down time, in NorCal you spend half the year pining for fall so you can go surf in clean west swell and offshore winds under blue skies – and you get attacked by a fricking shark.

How are you handling that? Do you hold a grudge against the stupid fricking shark?

Absolutely not. I was lucky enough to be able to paddle in without getting chomped again and had a great group of guys who saved my ass by putting a tourniquet on my leg and carrying me a pretty decent distance across the sand and up a huge flight of stairs to the parking lot. On top of that the helicopter was onsite within about 15 mins after I got to the beach. I’ll count my blessings on this one.

I saw that your GoFundMe was up to $44,350. As Spicoli would say: “Righteous bucks!” Were you ever able to collect the GoFundMe? That must help ease the stress a little.

I was eventually able to get the GoFundMe funds, it’s been such a help having it there. I had no idea all the things I would need it for and how much stress it would help relieve. The brace alone that I need to be able to walk cost $1,000 dollars. Then there’s medical copays, everything my insurance doesn’t cover, being out of work etc. It seems that the primary goal of my medical provider (who has been amazing) is to get me walking and back to work again. I completely appreciate this but from someone who basically lives to surf that only goes so far. That’s where outpatient Sports Therapy comes into play as well as hopefully getting a custom foot brace made specifically for surfing. All this will be covered by the GoFundMe so I don’t end up hating life and losing something I love.

So what’s the short and long-term prognosis? Surfing again when?

I am planning on trying to longboard in February. I wear a brace that keeps my foot at a 90 degree angle and don’t have complete feeling in the foot as well. I’ve been trying a grandpa-like popup at home and it’s pretty comical. We’ll see how it goes.

Surfline Man is going to rip so hard on his new Pyzel Ghost and get so totally barrelled.

It’s almost Christmas and Surfline Man can’t even decide what present he should give himself.

A new surfboard, probably.

Surfline Man is totally feeling the Christmas spirit this year! He just got a tin of peppermint bark from Williams-Sonoma from his aunt. It even has his name right there on the lid! Surfline Man has to admit, it’s actually super tasty. This morning, he ordered a mint mocha at the Pannikin.

So seasonal!

Puttering around his garage, Surfline Man decides he should hang some lights on the Sprinter. It would be so festive! Surfline Man can just picture it: Hanging out in the parking lot, getting ready to surf, with his Christmas lights all twinkling. Everyone would be super jealous!

But first, Surfline Man has important surfboard stuff to do. Priorities! He so totally needs to clean the wax off his favorite red fish. He saw something on the internet about how if he uses flour, the wax comes off super easy.

Surfline Man really likes easy. He also loves clean wax the most. It’s such a kook move to show up to the beach with dirty wax.

There’s just one problem. Without even looking, Surfline Man knows he definitely doesn’t have any flour in his kitchen. He left the sourdough starter with his ex in San Clemente. No more bread-making for him! He’s totally over it.

Rummaging around in his tool box, Surfline Man finds his paint scraper and goes to work.

Suddenly, his phone buzzes. So inconvenient! He was just getting into a groove. Like, totally the worst timing. Surfline Man figures he might as well look at it, since he’s all distracted now.

Hey Trent

Trey here, hope you’re good. It’s been a minute.

Some of the guys and I are going to Surf Ranch..

I heard you were really into surfing now. Want 
to join? I’ve got an extra spot.

It would be cool to catch up. I’m working on a 
new startup. Maybe you’d be into it.

No pressure!

Surf Ranch! Surfline Man feels so lightheaded right now. He could actually go to Surf Ranch? Omg.

Surfline Man would like, totally sell his favorite boards or something super vital like that to go to Surf Ranch. Well, maybe not the fish. He really, really likes his red fish. But definitely other things!

Surfline Man could totally get barreled. Just imagine! He feels lightheaded again. Surfline man sits down right there on the floor of his garage. Omg.

Of course, there’s a fly in the champagne. Or rain on his wedding day. Whatever. Metaphors, so confusing. Surfline Man can never keep them straight. Words are so complicated. Surfboards make way more sense.

The thing is, Trey is not exactly Surfline Man’s favorite person. He is like a total blast from the past. And not in the good, nostalgia way.

Before Surfline Man moved to San Clemente, which was before he moved to Cardiff, he lived in San Francisco. He had moved there after college to work for Google as a junior engineer. He was going to make so many awesome things!

After spending three years rearranging the same four lines of code, Surfline Man was totally over it, so he jumped at the chance to join a start-up. That’s where he met Trey, who was the VP of Marketing and Sales.

Working long hours at Elevate!, Surfline Man didn’t even notice his five roommates in the apartment he shared in Outer Sunset. Sometimes, he just spent the night at the office. It was easier and the couches were comfortable.

At the time, Surfline Man was so super committed to his company’s success. This was his big chance! Surfline Man was totally going to win capitalism. He had stock options and everything!

Surfline Man cringes at the memory. How could he have been so naïve!

One day, the CEO of Elevate! called Surfline Man and his coworkers into the conference room. It turned out that Surfline Man was not in fact going to win capitalism. The start-up had failed to secure its Series F funding, and it had totally run out of money.

On the bright side, the whole thing did help Surfline Man find his true calling. His final paycheck stuffed in his pocket, Surfline Man rode his electric scooter down to Sloat. There he saw surfers, changing in and out of neoprene, waxing boards, and doing other surfer things.

Surfline Man felt something. A pull. He wanted to be one of those surfers, talking in the parking lot. Surfline Man wanted to belong. He stood on the dunes and watched them paddle out.

Then Surfline Man went home and opened the work laptop he hadn’t yet returned. Where in California could he find the best and most consistent surf?

Surfline Man was going to surf so much now. He just needed some new surfboards and a place to live. Good thing he never had time to spend any of his salary from Elevate! Maybe he could do some consulting or something between surf sessions.

These days, Surfline Man doesn’t even want to remember all those bad start-up memories. Life is way more awesome now! Surfing is so much better than capitalism.

To be honest, Surfline Man never really liked Trey. They weren’t enemies or anything, but that whole tech world is totally full of fakers. Surfing is so real.

But Trey can pull Surfline Man through the sealed gates of Shangri La. Surfline Man can pretend to be friends for just one day. Also, he’s pretty sure he surfs way better than all those tech bros. He just has to like, try really hard not to roll his eyes when Trey pitches his amazing new start-up.

And maybe Surfline Man could get some good clips at Surf Ranch. So many barrels! He’s been meaning to start a vlog and document his awesome surfing journey. Surf Ranch could be the perfect opening episode. He could totally be internet famous!

Yesterday, when he was at the surf shop, Surfline Man saw a Pyzel Ghost, and he so totally almost bought it. Surfline Man has been thinking lately that he should get into thrusters. They’re like so high performance and precise and stuff. Now he has the perfect excuse!

Surfline Man loves his red fish, but Surf Ranch is totally a high-performance wave, so he’s going to need a board that’s up to the task. And if John John Florence likes it, it must be so good!

Surfline Man picks up his phone and fires back a text to his fake friend Trey.

omg yes i would be so stoked!
thank you for the invite!!!
when are you going?

Trey answers super fast, like he was totally waiting to hear back from Surfline Man. Surfline Man has to admit he is super flattered.

Next week! It’ll probably be cold,
so bring a warm wetsuit. I’ll send details
when I’m back at my desk. Look 
forward to seeing you!

Omg. Surfline Man is going to Surf Ranch! He can’t even believe it!

Surfline Man sets aside his Christmas lights. No time for that nonsense now. He has important surfing stuff to do! He must get to the surf shop straight away and buy a new surfboard.

Surfline Man is going to need new fins. And a traction pad. He’s not even sure what to buy. Doesn’t JJF have a signature traction pad? Surfline Man is sure he can figure it out. Surfing is his thing. He totally gets it.

Surfline Man can definitely pick the right fins and traction pad. He’s an expert!

Jotting notes in his phone, Surfline Man adds new wetsuit to his list. He’s heard it can be cold in Lemoore in December. He does not want to be too cold to get barreled!

That would be like the worst nightmare, right up there with all the other bad nightmares like showing up to school naked or getting lost on the way to the beach. But like, totally worse.

Surfline Man does not want to look stupid in front of his fake friend Trey and the other bros!

Surfline Man read there was a whole thing with the supply chain and wetsuits stuck on a boat or whatever. Don’t these people understand that Surfline Man has super good surfing to do at Surf Ranch? Amateurs.

With wild exuberance, Surfline Man jumps in the Sprinter. He has to get to the surf shop. He has so much to do right now!

Surfline Man is going to Surf Ranch! He can’t even wait. Surfline Man is going to rip so hard on his new Pyzel Ghost and get so totally barreled. He feels lightheaded just thinking about it. Surfline Man can’t even believe his good luck!

It’s the best Christmas gift ever!