My condolences to the family. Antonio

What a tragedy. One of the best things that people can learn from this is in regards to traditional feeding patterns of sharks. Sharks are crepuscular feeders (dawn and dusk) and as an apex predator, they run the show at that time. I know that a lot of the guys around here are always trying to squeeze in a dusk session after work or whatever. Don't go out by yourself. Be aware.

I cannot imagine what his family is going through. As many times I've heard people joke around that they'd like to die doing what they love, kiting, I don't think we ever accepted the reality that it could happen.

Stay safe.
Amber

shark attack
 

A very sad day, my condolences to his family and friends and a thank you to the lifeguard that went out and tried to save Steve.

Greg Meintjes

My condolences to Steve's family. We wish them fortitude in these tough times and hope they can focus on sharing the best part of Steve's life with those that loved and befriended him.

Steve is already missed on land and sessioning with the local Hutchinson Island crew on the water.

Steve rode at a very high level and brought stoke to every session we shared. Its a sad story...

We miss you buddy

Gebi

Some information is still coming in. The accident didn't happen at Bathtub Reef but a couple of miles north almost due east of the Causeway on to the south end of Hutchinson Island at the public beach. I understand quite a few riders were off Ft. Pierce Inlet to the north, mainly on 9 m kites in fairly steady 15 to 25 mph conditions from the N to NNW. Looking north from Jupiter on the livecam, the sky was clear as was the case on radar around 4 pm. So, there is nothing to suggest weather was involved in putting his kite on the water, i.e. stalled in an offshore wind shift. Some of us may have seen Steve at the Jupiter event on Saturday. He was shooting pictures and playing around with SUP gear.


New information:

"MARTIN COUNTY, FL-- A man encircled by several sharks was pulled from the water Wednesday afternoon off Stuart Beach.

Lifeguard Daniel Lund noticed 38-year old Stephen Schafer, who was apparently kite boarding, in trouble about a quarter-mile offshore.

When the lifeguard paddled out to him on his rescue board, there was blood in the water and Schafer was screaming that he'd been bitten by a shark.

Lund put Schafer on his rescue board and returned to shore.

He had what appeared to be an 8 inch to 10 inch shark bite on his right thigh, and investigators saw "numerous teeth marks" on his backside.

During the trip back to shore, Schafer was talking to Lund though "eventually stopped," according to a report from the Martin County Sheriff's Office.

Schafer later died at Martin Memorial Medical Center.

Several thousands of sharks have been spotted just off shore because of migration.

Several Palm Beach County beaches were closed due to shark sightings last week.

Including Wednesday’s fatal attack, there have been about 14 deaths in Florida attributed to sharks, according to records provided by University of Florida Museum of Natural History."
http://www.wptv.com/mostpopular/stor...ZRimK0mRw.cspx

He looks like a well season rider. What happened before the shark attack? Hard to know.

Our condolence this his family and friends.

tragic....
 

I didn't know Steve, but hearing the comments from those who did, he sounds like the kind of guy I would have wanted to be friends with.

As they say....he went out with his boots on.

my condolences to his friends and family

-patrick

I feel very sorry for him and his family. He seemed like a nice guy. I have 3 kites for about 4 years now and still haven't learned how to kite surf because of my fear of sharks. I just cant stop thinking about what is in the water. I did however buy a diving knife kit that I can strap to he back of my arm with rubber belts and I can grab the knife whenever I need to. I feel just a bit safer but would like to get a second smaller one I can put on my knee. It was on amazon for like 10$. Even still I am still afraid of sharks. I wish I just knew how to surf so I can stay up on the board and know how to relaunch quickly. Hopefully his family does well.

A memorial for Steve Schafer will be held on Saturday, Feb. 5 at Stuart Beach. More at: http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/feb/...h-slain-surfe/


For folks that would like to send flowers or condolences in writing, Brian of Kiteworld posted the following address:

Schafer Family
1830 Southeast Federal Highway
Stuart, FL 34994-3914
Attn: Teague Taylor


Damion, it would be best to pickup your concerns in a separate thread. One dealing with this subject will be posted soon.

A TV interview with the lifeguard, Dan Lund that swam out to Steve Schafer and brought him to shore. Lund, a nine year lifegard with Martin County, had a serious shark bite himself 20 years ago. The newscast says Lund saw a kiter about 500 yards offshore lying on his kite. Lund paddled out to investigate. He say that Steve was lying on his kite, who yelled to Lund that he had been bitten by a shark. Lund saw Steve was injured and bleeding with sharks circling beneath the surface. He went into the water and over to the kite, carried Steve over to his rescue board, put him on it and paddled him back to shore in 4 to 6 ft. seas.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...,5808685.story


http://media.tcpalm.com/media/img/ph...10791_t607.jpg
Lifeguard Dan Lund in 1983 before his own shark attack

The article describing the attack from 1986
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/feb/...lifeguard-dan/