A California kayaker endured a tense moment after going toe-to-toe with a 14-foot-long shark on Saturday.

Joey Nocchi, 30, of Paso Robles launched his kayak from Cambria, Calif. along with two of his friends, James Byon of Paso Nobles and Matt Kerschke of Los Osos. They paddled north, hoping to score a big catch.

The trio began fishing for rockfish at 1:30 in the afternoon near Leffingwell Landing off Moonstone Beach, reported the San Luis Obispo County Tribune.

We'd just about limited out on rock cod, and Matt caught two halibut, Nocchi said. We were cruising along together and talking.

Nocchi reached for his knife, however, something hit him from underneath and began to surface out of the water. It was a monstrous shark on the prowl.

My buddies said I came out of the water 4 to 5 feet - it flipped me over the side, said Nocchi. The shark rolled the whole kayak over, rolled me out of it, and he went over the top of it.

As Nocchi was in the water, he felt the gigantic shark brush past him.

I had my life vest on and it came across me, and I didn't want to touch it, he said, reported KSEE. I had my hands back but his tail came across me and I felt his skin on my hands and it was a pretty crazy, eery feeling.

The shark swam away, leaving Nocchi and his friends alone.

I swam back as fast as I could and got back on the back of the kayak, he said. I didn't even think to turn it back over.

Kershke told him it was important to hurry up and get out of the water before the shark changed its mind.

The shark knows it made a mistake, said Kerske, reported the San Luis Obispo County Tribune. You'll have to get off, turn the kayak over, and get back in. I'm going to go get the paddle, and I want you in the kayak when I get back.

Nocchi quickly complied and turned the kayak over. However, he noticed it was taking on water. Still, he knew was safer in the vessel and proceeded to paddle back to land.

I got back to shore as fast as I could, even though the kayak was taking on a bunch of water from the bite, he said. The bite looks to be around 20 inches long, more than 22 inches wide.

Nocchi was glad he did not swim alone that day. He plans to stay out of the ocean for a while.

I'll be bass fishing for a while, probably from the shore.

In the meantime, signs were posted along the Moonstone Beach warning visitors about potential attacks by predatory sharks.

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