For many San Diegans, today is one filled with sadness and apprehension. This morning we got wind that Triathlon Club member Dave Martin was attacked by a shark (probably a great white) in Fletcher Cove, Solana Beach. Devastatingly, he lost both legs, and subsequently lost too much blood by the time help arrived, despite his cohorts' efforts to save him.

So I'm trying to maintain some productivity in this work day, but am intermittently hit with that heavy-hearted feeling as I think of Dave's struggle, of those who watched him go, and of those who just lost a father and a friend.

Of course this kind of thing happens...but the probability is so low that it always shocks, especially when it happens close to home. So is a cove or a bay a "protected" place to swim? I think of a swim I did across Kealakekua Bay near Kona a couple years ago, during which I encountered a breathtaking pod of Spinner dolphins. The first sight of a dorsal fin triggered a rush of cortisol to the chest, but when the group began to spin and play within inches of me, fear turned to delight.

(This reminds me of the incredible story of open-water phenom Lynn Cox, and her encounter with a baby whale off the CA coast. The book is called Grayson.)

I had read about Kealakekua Bay in several guidebooks before swimming there, and it sounded like a relatively "safe" place to swim. However, upon return to work, my co-worker and former La Jolla lifeguard Steve Wood informed me that during his stay in Kona, he learned from locals that that particular bay was a shark playground.

San Diego locals swim at La Jolla Cove, Powerhouse Park in Del Mar, Fletcher Cove, and at Tamarack surf beach all the time - with groups or alone.

Will fewer people swim in the ocean now? Maybe for a couple of weeks. This weekend's local swims are cancelled, and beaches are closed. There's talk of finding that shark and killing it. Is this designed to make people feel better? What's the real benefit of killing that animal, whose home is the ocean?

Will I stop swimming in the ocean? I have created a rule for myself (after numerous solo swims in tropical waters) that I swim or surf with at least one partner. Does that make a difference? You never know how you're going to go or when...the best I can conclude is that I'd rather go while doing something I love.

One thing I know for sure...and which I was reminded of during a surf honeymoon in Costa Rica: We are no match for the force of the ocean and its inhabitants.