Great white shark thwarts marathon swim in San Francisco Bay

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A great white shark thwarted a Northern California man's quest to become the first person to swim from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Farallon Islands.

The Marin Independent Journal reports Thursday that Corte Maderamarathon swimmer Simon Dominguez was trying to swim about 28 miles Wednesday afternoon when his teen daughter, in a support boat, spotted a great white shark when he was just 3 1/2 miles from his goal.

After 18 hours in the frigid ocean, he reluctantly climbed into his support boat as the 12-to-15-foot great white circled the boat.

Out of the water, the 49-year-old, blood streaming down his chest from chafed skin around his neck, said he was disappointed.

Four swimmers have swum from the Farallon Islands to San Francisco.

He said he's unsure if he'll attempt the swim again.