NORTH SALMON CREEK, CALIFORNIA — An unidentified man sustained a hand injury while surfing in Northern California last Friday. It marked the third time this year someone was attacked by the dangerous predator off the shores of the Golden State, according to multiple reports.

Outside of the North Bay, a shark attack is believed to have been involved in the disappearance of a triathlete at Lovers Point in Monterey. Erica Fox, 55, was last seen Sunday after a member of her swim club spotted a shark in the area she’d been swimming.

As summer heats up in Australia and more people go swimming, concerns about sharks inevitably rise. But what is the real threat in our waters?

A surfer was attacked by a shark at Dillon Beach near the mouth of Tomales Bay, officials verified Tuesday. The attack occurred around 9 or 10 a.m. Monday, said Battalion Chief Graham Groneman of the Marin County Fire Department. The surfer was not injured. The area is a known habitat for sharks where sightings aren’t abnormal.