“F*ck, f*ck, f*ck, Shark!” is the main dialog, and let’s be honest you’re not going to say go away old chap. Roger Essig came face to face with an aggressive Sevengill Shark whist testing out his experimental helmet-mounted camera. Check out the footage for the full edit which took place at Gunnamatta Beach Victoria, 20th of June, 2021.
In case you needed any further proof that we are playing in someone elses back yard, check out the drone footage above. The ocean is a shared playground for many, and a home and hunting ground for many more. The introduction of ‘the drone’ into the line-up has opened up the interaction between humans and ocean dwellers and captured it in a way we would never dream of, what lies beneath, mother natures beauty and beasts.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes when myself and two mates encountered a large 6-meter white pointer while fishing thirty miles from Dawsville, Western Australia. The monster shark approached the back of the boat. I thought it was going to take a bite out of my prop before turning and circling the boat three times watching us closely then going directly under the boat, almost making contact. It was then I felt that we needed to go.” Just letting us know who is really in charge out there.
“I’ve still got an arm and fingers, it could have been a lot worse. says Nick Monogue, after telling a big whitey to “f@@k off” and punching him in the eye
Nick from Auckland, was bitten was surfing at Pauanui Beach when the shark wondered if he was tasty. He was but not in the culinary sense!
“I was just paddling along and got hit on the side of my elbow and forearm. By the time I realised what was going on, its teeth were definitely latched on to the front section of the board.
Nick had heard sharks don’t like being punched in the nose or eye (who does?), so gave him a right.
“… I actually shouted at it ‘f***off!’ and went to punch it in the eye and missed. Then I pulled my fist back and shouted ‘f*** off!’ again and got it right smack bang in the eye. It’s quite a big eye, about three knuckles across, and its eye kind of looked up and rolled up. In between the two punches it crunched down a bit more on the board and then disengaged its teeth, got its jaws off and then I got brushed by the dorsal fin and the tail fin and swam off.”
He then got out of the water as fast as he could.
“It was a grey shark with a white bottom, probably a great white. It was a big head and jaw. I kind of sat up in shock and decided to hit it. That was the only thing to do.”
Bite marks on his surf board confirm the shark had been a great white.
Nick was left with one tooth mark on his arm and ripped wetty
“There was blood dripping out the sleeve of my wetsuit. Thankfully it wasn’t too deep. Two teeth put holes in my wetsuit but only one punctured the skin. I’ve still got an arm and fingers, it could have been a lot worse.”
*Only punch sharks if you are in immediate danger. Sharks are pretty cool. They don’t actually want to eat you. Or have barney.
Friday 13th December, ominous for some. When the shark spotters alarm goes off and you actually see the shark, yay, fun times, especially if you’re a shark. The Shark Spotters did an amazing job spotting the sharks in the bay. This one cruising appears to be a bronze whaler.
