Great white shark chases surfers up rock-shelf in Australia

Witness account from a Navy Clearance Diver when reporting the incident. They were surfing in the water at the time:
"One white shark closed our position yesterday, the distance between the shark and the group was inside 10m and not closer than 5m and swimming at us with pace: it came from the SW not from the east. Surfers exited the water and the shark followed the group right up to the rocks. It could have T-boned the group within seconds.
The fin was damaged and all busted up and looked large. I mistook the fin for a seal, side fin down at the end section of the peak. That's 20m away, so it was a big shark.
The fin was bigger than a 16 by 32 inch Mac computer, and was still submerged. I saw 40+cm of exposed fin from the waterline, with more fin below the waterline.
The damage to the fin was evident, there was pieces missing from the outline and lots of scratches. The outline of the fin was squarish with long triangle like pieces missing from the rear of the fin. This indicates that it is not a juvenile white. Juvenile white finds have clean outlines and are more raked. This was an adult. Adults are between 4-6m. I think total fin size may have been just shy of 50cm. This means it may have been a 4.5-5m adult GW."

[@PD-gt7on]

“I don’t have to paddle faster than the shark, I just have to paddle faster than my mates…”

[@pammaggio8135]

FACTS!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼❤️

[@suasponte8363]

Reb Bull gives you wiiings

[@jkinney0420]

Haha you could see the panic in the face of that dude coming in last! Like hey wait for me you f#@kers!

[@danishpastry2885]

With friends like you who needs anemones….

[@angel8fingers]

@@danishpastry2885 well done, well done!

[@vantheman3857]

Little story here: My Freind and i surfed this perfect A-frame offshore Peak (let's just say somewhere in between aptos and Monterey ca.) Very early one morning for hours wondering why in the hell isn't there anybody out here with us ? When we came in a buddy of our was just shaking his head like we were in trouble, holding a cup of coffee with this strange serious look on his face. I instantly thought fuck, somebody broke into one of our cars. Turns out the day before everybody in the lineup and on the beach watched a great white jump up and Mack a baby seal pup shaking it like a rag doll and then going under. The ranger had posted warning signs at the main entrance but me and my friend always took the sand trail down the way and worked our way over to the main Peak it was just the ritual we had. I'll Never forget that day probably one of the best sessions I ever had, perfect 4 to 6 foot offshore barrels going left and right with dragon tails ending into the flat blue offshore ocean. And on top of it all, we got royally baked before we went out because it looked "Fun Size" when we were checking it, maybe 2 to 4 ft, but as we were out there the tide pushed in, the wind kicked up heavily and the shape and size improved drastically. We were getting shacked left and right laughing and giggling like little girls. But then something became more apparent, people would come and check out the surf from the lookout spot, at first we were like ah shit the party's over there definitely paddling out. But they would just stand there pointing, talking to each other then turn around and nobody would paddle out ? this happened again & again & again.. till finally a group of about 20 people were watching us and nobody was coming out ? me and my friend were looking at each other like we saw a goast or something like dude are we dead ? are we dreaming ? was that weed laced with acid... what the fuck is going on here ? (For those wondering why nobody waved us in) my only guess is they thought we were being bad asses and still surfing after we saw the shark postings but we were the opposite, it was more like there goes Dumb and Dumber taking the sand trail again lol. "I guess ignorance is bliss" Also this place is somewhat Rural and only Surfers and fishermen show up in the morning + we somewhat dawn patrolled that morning and we were in the water at 6:30. If this was anyplace in town some normies definitely would have freaked out and waved us in. No we didn't hear about it on local news TV because were to busy drinking beers in the garage figuring out which board to ride the next morning, talkin shop, watching surf videos pause-play- slow mo... listening to music and claiming the perfect time to paddle out staring at a tide book. We all had the Nokia flip phones with no internet and this attacked happened in a evening session the night before. Definitely one of best top 10 surfing experiences I've ever had in my 40 Years of surfing. I'm currently landlocked inland, 3-months in, taking care of my elderly mom that broke her hip and femur then just after recovering proceeded to break her pelvis on the opposite side. Looks like another 4 to 6 months till she fully recovers, I miss the ocean.. but im her only child, I'm here for her 24/7. Giving back the love taking care of her as she took care of me. Never take life for granted, l myself I've had multiple injuries, suffered depression, bad relationships ect. If you surf never stop...l truly believe that once you have learned how to surf and baptize yourself to the devotion of ocean and Mother Nature and do not surf anymore it will eat at your soul. I call it the Surfers curse. To anyone reading (especially those that are injured, depressed, hit hard times or have somehow talked themselves into not surfing anymore) I sincerely hope you have a talk with yourself and find your way back to the ocean, anyway, anyhow, boogie board, huge longboard, big fat fish that's 4 in thick an 2ft wide. Who cares they are still Beach breaks where you could find your own Peak and surf alone that's what I plan on doing.. stay wet, stay stoked, stay blessed and know the ocean is just waiting there for you... just waiting for you to live again, to duck dive under that wave with your eyes open, turn around paddle, snap-up, tuck-in and come shooting out of that Barrel or just trim a simple line... make it happen. 🙇🏻‍♂️🏄🏻‍♂️Thanks for reading. Cheers🍻🌲

[@abab-ml1ym]

Had to quit reading after the first fortnight.... Was this an attempt at a book deal?

[@jwesplayinify]

I know where this A-frame is located!!! Hahah 15 footers often spotted there.

[@bradward9857]

Never mind the ADD comment, great story and session!

[@armandotorres2283]

@@jwesplayinify what location is that?

[@pete9124]

Well said! I think thats why this old bloke likes his stand up paddleboard...... thin rails, single fin, swivel swivel, it's almost surfing!!! Though donking shark with paddle might only make it angry!

[@mrnvr6485]

Worst case of localism I've seen. Chased those guys right up on that rock.

[@andrewcanady6644]

Haha best comment here. Aloha.

[@dangoodman9951]

My Beach

[@gabrielbotsford791]

Underrated comment!!!

[@jimwoods3278]

I wish I was smart enough to understand this comment, cause it seems like a good one

[@buildertrash4102]

@@jimwoods3278 It got me confused too but I think he's meaning the shark. The shark was chasing them off his beach, hunting ground?. Therefore localism?. Thought I'd hazard a guess.

[@waynehearst317]

All of us surfers has had a positive experience with a shark...we just didn't know it.

[@braveheart4603]

does positive basically mean you didn't get eaten ? seems a low bar lol.

[@waynehearst317]

@@braveheart4603 haha, yea, guess so! Never thought of it like that. Good one.

[@S0ulinth3machin3]

@@braveheart4603 I'd call that a positive outcome.

[@vinceruland9236]

If you've been at the beach often in your life, you've been near a shark without a doubt

[@IIIrandomIII]

Bullshit… I’ve never seen one ever whilst surfing or swimming. Only during diving or spearfishing have I seen them…

[@makpazon11]

I'm sticking to the pool. I was raised by the ocean and swam regularly by myself, even as a 10 yo. I now feel safer at the pool.

[@samhamilton69014]

Yeh been pumping in my pool lately!

[@TurnMaster]

​@@samhamilton69014 pumping what ? Blow up doll ? Missus ? Your boyfriend ? Yourself ? 😂

[@ripoffrecords]

"Are they seals or surfers? I'm not sure - meh I'll taste one anyway!" 🥩🦈

[@bkjeong4302]

If the shark actually thought those surfers were seals it would have gone in for the kill.

[@prolordyt9356]

@@bkjeong4302 nah when you lay down on the surf board from below you look just like a seal to a shark and that's why they attack they do it by mistake if they meant to attack you they would kill you easily but when they attack you they are test biting. Scientist say the same thing all the info about shark attacks are out on the web simple to get go do your research

[@bkjeong4302]

@@prolordyt9356 If a shark mistook you for a seal it wouldn’t bother to make a test bite. Test bites are something sharks do when they’re facing something that they DON’T recognize as their usual prey.

[@bassmit9753]

>Millions of years of hunting at sea, attacks almost always from the side not direct below >Can't tell the difference between a seal and a human. >yfw

[@fungussa]

I can relate. The best surf of my life, 7ft scintillating cylinders in crystal clear water, and we had no choice but to abandon the surf when I saw a great white dorsal fin slice through the water just meters away.

[@smalltowninnewmexico]

7ft always makes me smile, double over head sounds better. 7ft dude! classic🤙😉⚡

[@zoniannitrate2905]

if you see a great whites dorsal then you should feel at ease. If you were being hunted you would be blitz from below, youd never see it coming.

[@Daveyboy_GolfR]

@@zoniannitrate2905 I don't think seeing a great whites dorsal fin just a few metres away would make anyone first reaction to be "not to worry mates, if he wanted to eat us he'd come from underneath" as the full on adrenaline-fueled survival mode is kicking in. But yeah I get the point you were making that white sharks opportunistically shoot up at pray vertically. But that's when they're 100% sure that it is in fact a pray item like a stingray or sea lion or a large tarpon etc. Oftentimes, great white attacks are one bite on the leg, hip, arm, or the side of the torso and let go without removing flesh. Like a test bite. As opposed to rocketing from 20 metres down and hitting the pray at the surface and breaching. They only do that if they know exactly what they're after. But those creeping in test bites I mentioned earlier, can often lead to "mmm this ain't so bad" and 30 seconds later there is nothing but a piece of wetsuit and maybe a lung floating at the surface. I'm sure you're aware of all this, but I'm just posting it for anyone to read.

[@Daveyboy_GolfR]

If I can ask, where in the world were you surfing where you saw the white just a few metres away? You mentioned the water was crystal clear... Were you able to get a look at the actual shark and its size, or you only saw the dorsal fin? I'm only asking cuz I'm curious what it must be like to be in such a situation, and if the shark was a giant 14-18ft great white or more like a juvenile 8-10 fter? I'm hoping it wasn't in the Caribbean because we're not supposed to have great whites around here. Or at least very rarely.

[@zoniannitrate2905]

@@Daveyboy_GolfR those arent test bites, theyre curiosity bites and these are usually only observed from juvenile great whites. Humans are not prey items for great whites and great whites are not very cognisant animals. When they bite something that is not apart of their typical diet they do not eat it if it "tastes good", they dont have a highly evolved brain, they instinctually know what they should be hunting and we are definitely not recognised by their evolutionary instinct.. And also, great whites attack from below when hunting, ie when they are hungry and preying on something.

[@kc72186]

Worst part is the waves are firing 🔥

[@neilgouws6962]

True story... Once , a Tiger shark chased me all the way from backline to knee deep water .. I quickly alerted the lifeguards and they closed the beach instantly... I was not very popular with the boyz that day 🤣🤣🤣

[@AmanitaBrasil]

@@neilgouws6962 If it decided to chase you it would catch you just a few meters after

[@neilgouws6962]

@@AmanitaBrasil true story 👍🏻 It swam right pass the crowd I was sitting with, coming straight at me .. suddenly a wave popped up and I caught it and made bee line straight for the shore .. riding the little hip high wave all the way to knee deep water I jumped off , and felt relieved at that point.. as I grabbed my board I saw the Tiger about a meter behind me making a sharp right turn and disappeared.. Yeah well... in a nut shell, it felt like I was being chased 🤷‍♂️

[@juliustetevano6113]

@@neilgouws6962 scary but cool at the same time lol

[@arthurbrumagem3844]

A young pilot I know was water skiing in Tampa bay years ago ( he was 16) and he looked behind him and saw two tiger sharks following him. He got close to shore and “ skied” onto the beach. Last time he ever skied in Tampa bay

[@waldemarrodriguezdenis1001]

I live here in Tampa bayw

[@turtlejeepjen314]

Didn’t some poor guy literally JUMP onto a Bull shark & get eaten there a few years back? (Like he went swimming there everyday & then this happens..,.)

[@brettmcdonald4138]

O yes we are protecting these monsters for good reason but we got to respect that we are entering there house. If they don’t want you in there domain your dinner. With nothing left to bury.

[@brettmcdonald4138]

Sorry their..

[@arthurbrumagem3844]

@@brettmcdonald4138 add you’re instead of your. Sorry ,just morning coffee humor

[@captainb2603]

Been in that predicament a few times. Can’t explain the true fear and numbness unless you have experienced it.

[@paulnonya4417]

What's the point of it all

[@sailingsolo5290]

The landlord eviction day.

[@mikem4333]

When the man in the grey suit comes and says "Hello"....it's time to go!

[@TitusXfit]

It’s crazy how fast you can paddle when you’ve seen a shark. Everything else melts away 😂

[@paulg3012]

I think I could run on top of the water, while simultaneously emptying my bowels.

[@mrsmartypants_1]

Actually I think that’s a bad reaction and is more likely to attract the shark. One of the recommendations when in a close situation with sharks is not to splash or panic. I’m not a surfer though and don’t have much experience with sharks.

[@josephpole]

It's nowhere near fast enough

[@julie-annhall2078]

It's a risk you take!

[@thomasthegreatape808]

@@mrsmartypants_1 That’s true, but it’s a Human Reflex, especially when they’re already after you.

[@janina8559]

Times like this you want to be faster than your friends!

[@deldridg]

Years ago a mate and I were body surfing some of the purest waves we've ever seen off Lighthouse at Port Macquarie (Aust) when about 4 or 5 dolphins appeared next to us on a wave. Bit of a freak out at first, but they were playing with us for about 30 mins, sometimes only an armspan away. Was one of the coolest things we've ever experienced. In the water next to you, they are big beautiful units and fast.

[@bakudandan9924]

Surfer got bit by a great white on the Big Island just a few weeks back. Shallow break too. First it hit him and knocked a couple teeth out. Then it grabbed him and pulled him under before letting him go. As far as I know he survived and hopefully is recovering well.

[@iprey4surf]

Banyans

[@SteveMack]

Scary stuff! ALWAYS great to come across another Aussie youtuber! I've been doing this for 18 years now (& somehow, still retain a tiny bit of santy!) ;)

[@georgenorman8793]

About a year ago, I was surfing a place called Curl curl beach. Surf was perfect with a huge crowd out. Luckily the beach is quite long so the crowd was spread well. I'm sitting furtherest out, when a 9 foot tiger comes cruising by. I yelled out but no-one else moved. Everyone who was close, saw it. I went in maybe 30 metres and down the beach some. Put a few bodies between me and it. Nobody got out. I couldn't believe it. I told other surfers but they shrugged it off. My nerves got the better of me and I eventually went in.

[@1dbang]

yeah bro i seen 1 attack this kingfish next to me n like 70 surfers ..they all just stayed there while i boosted to shore lol

[@TheDruzza]

Surfers dont give a fk

[@dynodin81]

A similar thing happened to me Surfing West Palm Beach Florida at a spot called Ocean Reef. I saw a Huge Tiger shark but my buddy didn't see it and told me not to worry about it. He then saw the Shark and bolted out of the water.

[@Triumphs1962]

Saw that at Manhattan. Guy loses his leg by a shark, surfers were in the water before the ambulance hit the highway. Pot does mysterious things to your brain.

[@Paxman071]

I had a white bump my board in South Bay LA. Honestly I started surfing less often after that day and not proud to say have surfed less since. Was after all the Fukushima mess. Lifeguards said shark activity had been insane after that happened.

[@ratcat2096]

In Water , In The Woods , You are Part of The Food Chain

[@cutbacksvideography]

Wrong!! The sharks just feed on seal, fish, sea birds and turtles! The humam it's just 10 dies/year, instead of 1000000000 sharks are killked by humans, yet when sea doesn't have any more sharks and fishes , you can feed on dolphins...

[@ratcat2096]

Ok Part of The Death Chain , Sorry ,

[@lastpaceended5866]

Grow up both of you

[@abab-ml1ym]

Oh captian original and captian obvious.... Did u do all the science to learn that ur self?...thats a totally new concept and u should be published.... Put the phone down go out side and have an idea...

[@abab-ml1ym]

@@ratcat2096 wrong again....we exist to die somehow...waking up puts us in ur "death chain..."... Woos

[@ginolorenzo4117]

Clearly the shark was just asking for directions

[@elizabethwoolnough4358]

Or perhaps it has a sense of humour and loves to scare surfers.

[@ginolorenzo4117]

@@elizabethwoolnough4358 Definite possibility

[@Seitan333]

Me and my mates got chased in two months ago about 20 metres off the shore in Newcastle NSW. 2nd time seeing a shark now in just 4 years.

[@Seitan333]

@MrBoon for sure, probably more.

[@deaninchina01]

I sea kayak out of Newie, about 18 months ago a mate and I were coming back to the Harbour from Merewether, saw 4 dolphins really hugging the rocks on the bommie off Nobbies. They were about 10m to our left, I looked around to the right to see a GW coming in on them, straight towards us. It pulled up about 4m away, felt like I was looking at it for about 10 minutes, it was probably a second or two. It turned and swam underneath my boat, was about 3.5m. Let surf rescue know at Nobbies and the girl who flew the shark watch drone said there were there all the time

[@benjaminfrankliniii9857]

That must of felt like the longest paddle in ever

[@Anna.Mason151]

One time in Shelly bay NSW, Me and my daughter snorkelled over four puffer fish about a couple of meters below us. We swam so fast my daughter near walked on water all the way back up onto the shore.

[@BeachKid]

This is the clearest video!!! 🤩 What camera are you using?! The shark encounter is crazy, but so is the clarity and smoothness!

[@sarbaazchabahar]

Shark: hey stop panicking.... I am just messing up with ya😂😂😂🦈

[@lovetrump4371]

Surfing lower trestles in so cal. Was wondering why there was only a few of us out. Next morning heard a great white had jumped out of the water after a baby seal earlier that afternoon. We were laughing when a small seal was swimming really close to all of us, trying to get on the nose of my short board. Gives me goosebumps thinking about it till this day

[@gloryglory5688]

Love trump? Ahhh must be a liar

[@S0ulinth3machin3]

if you see a baby seal by itself and it's mom is nowhere around, get out of the water. It means something has happened to mom. The dude who got eaten in Encinitas some years back - they were swimming, saw a baby seal cowering by the cliff and didn't think anything of it. Dude got hit and bled out before they could get him to shore. I was on a bikepacking trip in the Andes 25 years ago, we saw a baby alpaca, said "something ate its mom". I was concerned but forgot about it. Sure enough, visited by a puma that evening. Saw it's eyes reflecting back (the light from my headlamp). There were 2 of us, we had a knife, we didn't sleep that evening. Saw the paw prints the next morning. Baby seal trying to get onto your short board. There may be a reason.

[@user-zt2vf6vx7p]

@@gloryglory5688 cry more

[@anthonymorris5084]

What ever you do, first make sure you look as much like a seal as you possibly can.

[@bassmit9753]

>Millions of years of hunting at sea, attacks almost always from the side not direct below >Can't tell the difference between a seal and a human. >yfw

[@standdown4929]

After reading all comments and watching Malibu Artist as recommended by another commenter.... I will never go into the ocean....It's always been my biggest fear.... I did learn a lot about surfers in the comments, I always wondered what they were thinking and wondering if they ever encountered sharks... Now I know....

[@theyoungupstarts1243]

I was rooting for the guy in the rear to paddle faster. Big fishy wanted the competition off his reef.

[@nomadnomad8571]

I was thinking the same. Dudes first time out in months and he had spaghetti arms. He was like, I’m done once he saw those guys catch the small beach break in.

[@rickjason215]

There are sharks around all the time, surfers just don’t see them. There’s a guy on KZbin who has a drone he runs over the California coast and swimmers and surfers never see them, but they are there.

[@S0ulinth3machin3]

the surfers see them occasionally.

[@miketexas4549]

Never understood how people can casually surf in Australia with those things in the water.

[@brendanmarley9873]

It’s not just here, anywhere there’s ocean, there’s sharks. I’ve been a surfer/ocean swimmer my whole life and have never seen one while in the water. I’m sure they’ve been there, and I’ve been spooked and got out of the water a couple of times but to this day have never seen one. But they say it’s the one you don’t see that will get you! 😂🏄‍♂️🦈

[@miketexas4549]

@@brendanmarley9873 No I'm specifically talking about Great Whites

[@chriscantor6329]

I presume to don't risk driving a car?

[@wisu3529]

@@miketexas4549 I left California to live in Australia. We see sharks all the time. It’s a tolerance you build up so we’re not as rattled by them as people are in other parts of the world.

[@craigmortimer5932]

I was bodyboarding a perfect day in Port Lincoln National Park didnt even know till later that night there was on the news a 18ft GW spotted around where I was. Ive also been cage diving with these beasts. Nothing but respect. Great footage.

[@kym393]

Fisheries, Sleaford or lone pine??

[@RaulEdu33]

People surf at Port Lincoln?!? Isn't that the place near Neptune island, where great whites breach at high speed to hunt 🦭?

[@craigmortimer5932]

@@kym393 fisheries or sleeford generally

[@craigmortimer5932]

@@RaulEdu33 sure is

[@mariocondello2353]

In that situation it's so important to get down low and go go go, try and stay under the smoke.

[@AndrewSmith-cd5zf]

It must have come in close a few times for the to realise that they weren’t alone

[@wesleyblack8302]

they don't care. they'll swim pass 5 people to get what they want. if anything a larger group my trigger the territorial side, but a few orcas and or dolphins seem to spook them in numbers

[@meegssan5716]

Ive seen drone footage of great whites, when they are hunting seals they pounce so quickly. One shark was hunting a seal but couldnt see it due to the cloud of sand and then whipped a 90degree turn toward the seal and grabbed it w.o hesitating. I think they can smell the seals and hear the splashing, and dont really hunt humans but curious nonetheless.

[@raviscott4853]

Ampullae of Lorenzini are the small "pores" on a sharks head and snout, they pick up electric fields given off by prey (heartbeat, muscle contractions etc.). That explains why the White turned 90 degrees & grabbed the seal even obscured in the sand cloud. Fucking amazing predators with a few million years of evolution behind them.

[@allanz00]

Watching the playback frame by frame from 0:28 the sharks definitely advancing into the shallows toward the guy on the left , as far in as it came within that wave I can't help but wonder if it got a bit scraped up on the rocks before it decided to disappear ..

[@darrenmatson8712]

Saw a big GW fin whilst out at South Narra (Sydney) after big rain. Was known by locals as ‘Bruce’ apparently, used to buzz fisherman at Long Reef

[@Der_4xel]

ya surfers most likely been more time close to sharks than you can imagine, and yet, attacks are more than rare. Always remember, the shark sees you before you see him, and in that rarest of rarest moments when he decides to taste from your leg, there is nothing you can do about it....so enjoy surfing and dont spend too much time being afraid.

[@isabelgellibrandi7496]

The first time I went to Thailand, back in the early 90s, I spent a couple of months on Koh Phan Ghan. (as you do) I used to do some snorkelling and one morning as the sun was coming up I was swimming off the main beach there. There was a shark that was kinda following me, darting in and out of view. I was too far out to make a run for it, so all I could do was keep an eye on it and position myself so if it went for me, I'd have a chance of kicking it with my fins. The mask made it look a heap bigger than it probably was and to be honest, even with the mask it wasn't a real big unit. It took me maybe ten minutes to work my way back to shore and all I could think of was that if I started freaking out and panicking, there was a decent chance it might have picked up on it and then really gone for me.

[@planetdisco4821]

I was in kho pan Ghan in the early 90’s too lol….

[@supawavyrecords523]

Being in Thailand that was most likely just a reef shark.

[@Daveyboy_GolfR]

The one thing I have heard Kho Pan Yang is very well known for his box jellyfish attacks. There had already been a swathe of serious attacks on tourists where a couple of them had died within the first few minutes. At first the Thai authorities would try and bury the news as much as possible to avoid hurting their tourism, but then a little 8-year-old boy from France was stung and died almost immediately. Finally, Thai authorities decided to create netted areas where it was safe to swim including clearly posted signs in many different languages explaining that unless you are fully covered from head to toe in wetsuit, you must swim within the netted areas. So far I haven't heard of any box jellyfish attacks within the netted areas of the Thai Islands who have implemented them. So I do applaud the Thai City councils for implementing the nets and protecting their tourists as well as their economy.

[@leewilliamson7119]

richard would have killed it

[@2richants]

Definetly sharks in Thailand. Was surfing surin beach in phuket and as i was paddling for a wave a 1 to 2 ft fish jumped out of the water. Turned to my mate to see if he saw it and replied did you see what was chasing the fish. Shrugged it off and kept surfing. Spoke to some local fisherman at the next beach along and mentioned big shark big shark No good no good. Never found out what type but was big enough to cause damage

[@trikael]

To the various know alls claiming they've identified it as a dolphin, read the description and then admit you were not there.

[@pammaggio8135]

EXACTLY! It’s my Ex… he told me about it right after it happens! Said he got to the reef in standing water looking at it… which is what the last bit is…

[@andreasjohannes8402]

Wow and the waves were pumping too!!!!

[@benplissken540]

Amazing footage !

[@authortoempire]

He’s just living his best life, wants to surf the waves too

[@mrsmartypants_1]

Between my best friend’s father being eaten by sharks when we were 6 and almost drowning by walking off a pier at age 3 while our parents and their friends were drinking heavily I have a strong phobia of certain lake and ocean situations that strike hard at times. I became a successful competitive swimmer and have vast ocean experience swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, fishing… in part in a stubborn attempt to conquer my phobia and in part because of the mesmerizing beauty of the ocean. I have never been fully successful. I still dream of drowning and having “monsters” pull me under at least once a week decades later.

[@bkr1312]

He was just trying to get in the line up :)

[@phillipmurray1724]

Farkkkk, looks like Bruce from Finding Nemo. 🐠🦈

[@kathrynbruchhauser1890]

For those folks wondering why sharks are hunting closer to shore and while we're on the subject, why some pods of orcas are getting more aggressive against boats, I'm going to hypothesize that we've so destroyed their traditional food supplies that these animals are stressed out, crazy hungry and confused. Other pods of orcas continue to treat people playfully as interesting curiosities, but I bet orcas (at least) may be smart enough to put two and two together. Do orcas know what's happening when entire schools of food fish are trapped in nets and dragged aboard ships? A stretch perhaps, but.............???????

[@danrobinson8380]

Maybe so, but as an Aussie I've surfed and fished around south east Queensland and northern NSW my whole life. Fish definitely seem more plentiful now in those areas, particularly in the estuaries, compared to twenty years or so ago. I suspect it may be due to heavier regulation on commercial fishing brought in decades ago. Also dugong numbers appear to have greatly bounced back as it has been illegal to harvest them commercially for many years. I see them frequently now where I never saw them as a boy and sharks love hunting them. So more plentiful food sources close to the coast brings and supports more predators such as sharks. Accounts by Europeans first exploring these areas centuries ago record them as being full of sharks as well. Might actually be a healthy sign.

[@mrsmartypants_1]

@@danrobinson8380 Interesting. Thanks for providing that info.

[@wiseGUY1288]

@@danrobinson8380 was just going to say, maybe we're seeing closer to shores and more often is because there are more of them than ever before.

[@englishishard2532]

@@wiseGUY1288 or perhaps we arent seeing anything different and the fact that everyone and their sister now has a recording device on them, events like this seem to be happening more often

[@Veritas-dq2hs]

relax, Karen.

[@trevorjones3530]

Me a surfer from Europe...had a early bird at Cobbelstone Beach West Oz and watched the waves...nobody surfing and I had a eerie feeling. Dunno but something spooked me that day and I went to Margarete River and had a coffee instead. Two days later at the Airport I bought The Tracks Mag and read...that day a 25 year old surfer was ripped to pieces by a white. They where around cos of a dead wahle cadaver...

[@properformancecricket]

What beach is this at?

[@p9a9r21]

The surfing community in particular and beachgoers generally should note bull, great white and white tip are being seen close to shore in several areas. Marine biologists are not yet sure why this is occurring, but I suspect its only a matter of time before attacks become significantly more common.

[@sinsuyyt2100]

I’ll tell u why one word turtles

[@lisasinclair2748]

Marine biologists know exactly why. The media is just not reporting it.

[@spongemonkeysooz]

@@lisasinclair2748 tell us please

[@lisasinclair2748]

@@spongemonkeysooz do you really want to know or are you some teenage mutant?

[@spongemonkeysooz]

@@lisasinclair2748 No, I'm an old lady who is crazy about sharks, whales, 🐢 etc Just searching for knowledge. I thank you in advance. About being mutant... it's questionable 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@pjdiver3]

That's not the first time they've been viewed by a shark...maybe just the first time they were aware

[@solideomusical]

Good thing those surfers were able to swim faster than the shark.

[@user-sm5xs8lr5v]

so glad u all got in safely

[@DjDmt]

Those boys moved quick

[@adrianwalker9416]

You've only gotta be faster than the slowest person.... jesus that was close though! Spewing the surf looked good too!

[@bassmit9753]

They select a target in most attacks, swimming right past other people many occasions

[@linnie_blue369]

It’s like he knew it was there when he turns around and looks at the water

[@gustavobro2484]

Hectic😱. And when they are hungry they do anything to grab a meal. Saw a 3metre white chasing bait fish into shore coming at lightening speed like a torpedo and beach itself!!!!!!!! Flapped away on the wet sand then got itself back into the ocean.

[@teapotdome]

i haven't seen the great white shark as prominent in Massachusetts since before jaws was released.

[@CarlosSanchez-dv1ew]

Nothing worse then missing the wave when being chased by a shark hehe

[@ashforbes6152]

they are like a grey mass coming at you it’s super scary just getting bigger by the moment it’s an awful feeling .

[@chrislewis9985]

Is that B rock/ S C BAY ???

[@Ralien666TV]

Sorry where was this spot?

[@bgwhalley]

I was surfing solo, a little peak in Bird Rock San Diego, March of 2015ish during sunset. Waves were only about 3ft. I was on a 9ft longboard. I had been sitting for about 5 minutes waiting for the next set. Finally a wave was coming in a little to the north so I was paddling parallel to the rocky Beach to get into position. Just 10ft further outside of me heading in the exact same direction as I was paddling, a fin slowly appeared like some Jaws movie where it slowly started coming out of the water and was getting bigger and bigger. I stopped and sat upright and the fin just stopped too. It was like we were having a stare-off. I immediately turned inland, paddled and caught the wave I was originally paddling for. I stood up and looked back over the wave and the fin was gone. The encounter only lasted a few seconds but it was unforgettable. No idea how big the shark was but the fin was about 2ft above the water line. It was definitely a Great White shark fin (I even researched photos to confirm). They are out there. I never felt like it was trying to attack. Seemed like it was just checking me out. Maybe curious to see if I would make for a good snack? Who knows! I did report the incident to the pacificcoastsharkcommittee website. Ralph Collier who has been studying them for decades called me to confirm if what I saw was in fact a shark. He told me all about them and how in recent years Southern California has been turning into a breeding ground for them. It used to be just juvenile great whites and the adults would go from Northern California down to the Guadalupe Islands to breed. Some would even go to Hawaii. They for some reason go to warmer water to breed. But Ralph said in recent years, they've noticed they began breeding between San Diego up to Huntington. He thought because the waters have been getting warmer in so-cal and plus the sea lion population has been growing in so-cal so now they have enough food in the region where they no longer need to go down to Guadalupe anymore. Just an interesting thought. I do wonder if attacks will become more frequent in so-cal this coming decade or two. I assume they will need to take the great white off the endangered specie list before California turns in Australia where attacks happen regularly. Just my thought. They are out there. Like I said the KZbin Malibuartist Del Mar and he films them from their drone swimming under surfers and even following swimmers. 👍

[@acojankovic3709]

14 ft

[@afar4944]

wow - i surf bird rock all the time, thought the kelp there would keep them away. but thats one hell of a story...

[@bgwhalley]

@@afar4944 it was the Bird Rock peak. I think the peak is called Sewer Pipes. It's in between South Bird Rock and PB Point. They are there. Another time at Sunset Cliffs during a storm when the water looked like chocolate milk, I was surfing a spot called Newbreak solo on a 6'1" board. Similar incident. Sitting there for a set but on a short board the water line is to my chest so everything below my chest is submerged. Water is dark brown. I can't even see my feet it's that murky. But some rubbery and hard hit my foot with pretty good force. It immediately paddled in scared shitless. No idea what it was. 14 years of surfing almost everyday from Bird Rock to Sunset Cliffs and had 2 encounters. One for sure was a great white. The other I have no idea. KZbin malibuartist sharks or something like that. The guy has filmed great whites in Del Mar recently swimming under surfers. Trust me they are there all the time. But they seem to know we aren't food.

[@bgwhalley]

@@acojankovic3709 wasn't the Bird Rock peak not was.

[@bgwhalley]

@@acojankovic3709 possibly. The fin was really big. Almost looked fake.

[@davidshakespeare4882]

Is this Pipeline .....Summercloud Bay??

[@thelolsdad3354]

Shark was on life guard duty yelling at surfers to get back on the beach. Got to enforce them rules you know.

[@berndtherrenvolk1951]

Remember: You don't have to outsurf the shark. You only have to outsurf the slow surfer in the pink swim cap.

[@tundahking]

The irony of how the slab is safe .

[@benmiz9742]

Is this granites?

[@toogee1850]

that's the first time I've ever seen someone in the water with a helmet on

[@Thedaleb1]

I was chased out of the surf by 3 large tiger sharks 30 years ago, if a shark is chasing you, better get out of its way

[@MrBlizzard769]

You can’t blame the shark , these people are behaving just as seals would - ya know , a great whites dream meal 😆

[@affordableplumbingandelect2119]

Lucky these guys saw it first and had the chance to paddle in fast. I wear a SharkShield all the time. Does it work? Wouldn't have a clue, but it might just upset a shark enough to give me second to escape. But of all the sharks they tested the sharkshield on, the Great White was the great unknown, totally unpredictable.

[@justin8079]

Hey mate just for your information. An abalone diver off South Australia wearing two shark shields got attacked simultaneously by two massive whites and was killed. Scientists have theorised they likely deter smaller whites but potentially could attract the big mummas.

[@annabizaro-doo-dah]

There was a snorkler in Australia this year attacked and taken. He was wearing a shark deterrent. They found some remains so it was definitely an attack not a drowning. They work on smaller sharks, maybe even Tigers, but not on Whites.

[@lisasinclair2748]

@@justin8079 Well that's a bummer.

[@brendancross8793]

@@justin8079 I'm pretty sure there was a navy clearance diver who was attacked by a Bull Shark while wearing one as well.

[@username8191]

@@justin8079 Then they say 2 attacks in 60 years and your chance of getting killed by a cow is greater than getting killed by a shark 😂😂😂

[@zoeslovely7096]

If you think you can outswim a shark you're dinner

[@DontTakeMeSeriously2222]

I would of done my Best Jesus impression, and walked, probably ran on water!

[@C0bblers]

Wow, what a crazy chase.

[@eatsurfsleeprepeat5485]

amazing, they paddle for a good 10+ seconds before the shark surfaces behind them. Old mate on the right even passes on a wave. A 10 second swim for a shark is like 50-100m, they must have laser vision spotting that thing way out?

[@shooter7a]

The shark was probably circling them for many minutes before.

[@tomallen7699]

We are just visitors, it's their world out there and sometimes they tell you when to leave!

[@robinharwood5044]

And sometimes they ask you to stay for dinner.

[@jameshardy6277]

The dude in the orange hat was thinking "shit, I'm dead last here."

[@cthh6353]

Chased them? I'm betting the shark was just swimming by. Could have easily caught a surfer if he wanted.

[@bassmit9753]

The modern mentality of idiots lol, pure cope

[@shakeywithlife]

Two blokes in the African desert. One's looking through the binoculars at a Cheetah. The Cheetah looks at them... "Whoah, John that cheetah is staring right at us.... oh John that cheetah is running towards us." John says, "sheese Terry we better start running". Terry is about to take off when John sits down, un-laces his hiking boots, pulls a pair of Nike's out of his bag and starts putting them on... Terry says, "Holy smokes John what are you doing, you can't outrun a cheetah".... John says, "I don't have to outrun the Cheetah Terry mate, I just need to outrun you."

[@peterembranch5797]

Did they ever go surfing there again, I wonder?

[@kimped22]

Is this a white shark? Their caudal fin would be vertical, but a dolphins caudal fin is horizontal. Assuming it's a shark since all the guys were gunning for sure, I'm sure those guys have seen a dolphin before/

[@scottyknowsurf]

This has to be my favorite Slab. bummer

[@wavester46]

I'm guessing South Oz West Coast by that water and rocks.

[@dnc077]

where was this please?

[@themrmaiorca]

Many moons ago I was barefoot water skiing at Ron Scarpa's barefoot school in Winterhaven and there was an 8 foot gator on the ramp just minding his own business. Or can we only share cool shark stories? ;)

[@stevefugere2687]

When being last really sucks.

[@kiteblaster]

That folks, is known as "scratchin' for land."

[@jarrad888]

hippity hippity hoppity you surfers better get off my property

[@reddiver7293]

Holy S**t!!!!!!!!!! I have been chased out of the water because of sharks a few times. But nothing like this. Damn. Glad these blokes made it out OK.

[@Ian_MacGregor]

“These are my waves boy, betta find yo self a new spot.”

[@user-ts1yt7ds6b]

Is that no2's

[@mellowmood2785]

Like a cop rolling through an urban ghetto. Maybe they’re just patrolling with no ill will, but when you consider track records and known capabilities, no one is ever willing to stick around to find out.

[@coreyfisher2542]

You can clearly see the white underneath.

[@abab-ml1ym]

No u cant...lol

[@cjod33]

The whole reason you always carry a small knife when u surf /dive with a Buddy is so when this happens, you quickly stab your mate n fuck off😂😮😂😂

[@mikehumphreys239storms2]

Them waves though 😍

[@t-man5196]

“That’s a 15 footer” “15’5”

[@elicarlton-pearson8945]

Only possible reason to get out of that water, jeez was it firing!

[@roger9453]

Its not the sharks you see that you need to worry about!