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-gton]

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

[waynehearst]

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

[vantheman]

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🍻🌲

[Sun-N-Fun]

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

[ripoffrecords]

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

[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.

[captainb]

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

[TitusXfit]

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

[makpazon]

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.

[arthurbrumagem]

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

[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.

[mikem]

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

[janina]

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

[ratcat]

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

[bakudandan]

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.

[georgenorman]

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.

[Seitan]

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.

[Paxman]

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.

[ginolorenzo]

Clearly the shark was just asking for directions

[sarbaazchabahar]

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