Sometimes, the surfers catch a harsh wave, while other times, the sharks catch the surfers.

Fortunately for a California surfer, a shark who swims in the waters of San Mateo County over the weekend can only get his surfboard samples. Jens Heller sat about 100 yards on the sea beach at Montara State Beach on Saturday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Heller, his wife and their 6-month-old daughter settled in the location after not finding ideal surfing conditions at the other two beach attractions earlier in the day.

When he thought his feet and the board hit a rock, he paddled on the board and stayed in the water for about 10 to 15 minutes.

“I sat on the board and then I felt something kicking me under my feet,” Heller told Surf Outlet Powerlines Productions. "I looked back and saw this big mouth grabbing my board."

He saw the dark eyes and the shark's teeth as he tried to return to the board. Heller told the media that he felt he was in slow motion.

“I think it’s my lucky day,” Heller said. "I can't believe it didn't make me at all. I was thinking, what's the odds?"

When he reached the shore and the adrenaline began to wear out, he panicked, checking for himself to have been bitten. Lifeguard cleared the water and the beach closed for two days.

State parks and wildlife officials were holding wooden boards on the beach to wipe shark DNA and then asked his board to analyze shark bites, Heller said.

Officials said they hope to identify the shark species next week.

Despite its excitement, Heller said he wouldn't let the experience keep him away from the water.

Saturday’s incident marked the second recorded shark encounter in California this year, according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. On May 20, a shark hit a swimmer at Torrey Pines State Beach in San Diego without injury.

Scientists believe that most shark events are not predatory, but are more likely to "exploratory bites of sharks investigating abnormal objects." Other times, sharks mistake humans for usually seals or sea lions.

Authorities say young sharks can be up to 10 feet long, sometimes recharge or hit larger objects because they are used to hunting larger prey.

According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, white sharks, also known as great white sharks, are most active in San Mateo County. Since 1950, there have been 195 white shark attacks in California. Most of these attacks involved surfers, free agents and kayakers.

In June 2021, a white shark bites a man swimming a mile north of Montala Beach. The shark bit the man on his right leg and was taken to the hospital in severe condition, but he survived.