Kaua'i police said the shark "got a piece of the board," but the surfer was able to safely return to shore after the 1:25 p.m. attack.

The attack occurred at a surf break about 100 to 175 yards offshore of Anini Point.

The surfer estimated the shark to be about 8 feet long.

Also, surfers at Haena on Saturday described what they called a "near miss" when they saw a shark estimated at 10 feet speed through the water toward a surfer, who was not hit.

Yesterday's attack on the North Shore was at the opposite end of the island from where a 17-year-old Hoku Aki lost part of his left leg in a shark attack earlier this year.

Hoku Aki was surfing at Brennecke's Beach near Poipu on the south shore when he was attacked March 25.