Three beaches in Santa Barbara County have been reopened after a surfer was attacked by a great white shark last week.

The surfer suffered non-life threatening injuries to his knee, as well as cuts to other parts of his body, in the attack, which occurred about 5:30 p.m. Thursday a quarter-mile north of Wall Beach, officials said.

The attack prompted Vandenberg Air Force Base to close Surf, Wall and Minuteman beaches for 72 hours.

On Friday, a group of kayakers said they also came under attack by a great white shark near Point Conception north of Santa Barbara, prompting a mayday call for help.

When a fishing boat responded, one of the kayaks had been so badly damaged that it had started to sink.

The shark had knocked this guy out of the water, probably eight or nine feet through the air, Charles Christman, who assisted the kayakers, told KEYT's Tracy Lehr.It came out of the water and it punched about six or eight holes in the kayak. The kayak was sinking.

The kayakers described the shark as being 16 to 18 feet long.

The shark involved in Thursday's attack was likely8 to 10 feet long, according to Ralph Collier, president of the Shark Research Institute.

Follow the reporter on Twitter: @JasonBretWells

Excerpt from:

Central California beaches reopen after great white shark attack