The Horrifying Final Moments Of Shirley Durdin: EATEN ALIVE

The Following Story is known as the most brutal shark attacks in recorded history...
This terrifying attack took place just off the coast at Wiseman’s Beach near Port Lincoln in Peake Bay, South Australia
With its tranquil landscape comprising of bush lands, awe-inspiring coastal cliffs, and pockets of secluded white sand beaches, it’s no wonder that the port is known as one of Australia's prime tourist hot spots for adventure seekers and vacationers alike.
On the other hand, there is also Wisemans Beach, a more secluded spot, similar to a large lagoon and a prime fishing location for those with a preference for a quieter, more remote experience of the majestic bay's deep blue waters.-
To further add to its marvel, the coastal region's ecosystem teems with a variety of unique wildlife, ranging from marsupials such as grey kangaroos, to reptiles like tiger snakes & blue tongue lizards on land, to the magnificent parrots & seabirds which inhabit its skies, the coast furthermore features a variety of aquatic creatures—ranging from beautiful marine mammals such as sea lions and fur seals to some of the most dangerous animals known to humankind.
A list that includes the visually captivating, yet notoriously deadly box jellyfish, and of course, the breathtaking, but globally feared Great White Shark.
This specific area, however, is not your typical Great White Shark habitat. Famous for the once-in-a-lifetime experience it offers thrill seekers of cage diving with great white sharks, these waters have been confirmed to host one of the largest populations of these magnificent & ancient apex predators in the world today.
Despite the potential risk & dangers they may pose to humans in a close encounter; the fact of the matter was and still remains that shark attacks were extremely rare occurrences at Peake Bay contrary to what most would assume given the large number of great whites its waters contained.
In fact, on a worldwide annual basis, there are on average about 70 recorded shark attacks on humans, and only a fraction of these result in loss of life…& given the fact there are 480 known species of sharks consisting of a mostly healthy population- this is actually a relatively small number of incidents--
Since the year that this attack took place, a shark attack hadn’t resulted in a human fatality in these waters for 9 straight years, when in January of 1974, 26-year-old Terry Manuel was killed and eaten by a Great White that viciously attacked him during his ascent from an abalone dive.
Shirley Ann Durdin, her husband Barry & their four children had recently migrated to the peak bay coast from a rural Australian town known as Karkoo- which was about an hour’s drive inland—due to Barry’s severe allergies to farm life- the move was furthermore a no brainer for the couple as they like many people had considered living by the beach to be a long-time dream of theirs.
On March 3rd, 1985, the family had decided to hit the beach for the afternoon with a good friend of Shirley and Barry’s… Keith Coventry- as they situated themselves on the beach- the trio of adults prepared to go diving for scallops, while the kids played on the beach.
The adult trio suit and gear up with their snorkels, Shirley and Barrie inform the kids that they will be back and will be not too far offshore...
The children, already far too engaged in their beach games, nonchalantly respond with quick inattentive nods and rushed goodbyes, unaware of course… of the horrors soon to come.

⌚Time Stamps :
00:00 - A 14-Second Message
00:14 - Intro to Wisemans Beach & Port Lincoln
03:01 - Story of the Attack
08:36 - E1- A devastating Bear Attack

🌎 Web References:

🎬 Video References:
-Thank you for the research you put in! @Sharks Happen

Non-Stock-footage clips found in this video fall under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.

[WhenAnimalsAttack]

👉🏼 *NEW RELEASE* about a _horrific_ *Tiger Shark Attack* (The *most intense episode* yet!)- can be found on the end screen of this episode, trust me, you do NOT want to miss this one!
**A _ quick correction_ to **1:36**-It's Important I mention that when it comes to the part I said about the box jellyfish- there are actually * no box jellyfish* in this (southern) part of Australia- I misread a Queensland, Northern Australia report, and mistook it for SA. * No box jellyfish stings in SA waters on record*, my bad on that part!
👉🏼 *Hit the "notifications"* bell for future drops!
👉🏼Welcome to When Animals Attack💯
✔ **UPDATE**: The When Animals Attack **_official merch store_** has *now launched* !

[starrholman]

My father was a survivor of USS Indianapolis. After being rescued he never went in water again. Not even fresh water lakes. I don’t think he even entered a pool. He passed in 1994.

[paulaajohnson]

Anyone who swims in Australian open waters is crazy. Warnings about them never cease.

[SpikeLover]

I'm Aussie and this is why I stay the F out of the ocean - it's the shark's habitat, not mine! People are aware of the dangerous creatures that inhabit the ocean. So if they decide to go in there, they do so at their own risk. I feel so sad for this poor woman's family, witnessing her brutal death. Her husband and their kids must have been traumatized beyond belief by this. ☹

[lishastinson]

I live in I do not swim in any lakes, river, ponds, creek, etc. etc. etc. You never know what lurks below or if water is polluted.... This story was horrifying.🦈.... prayers to her family, may she Rest in Peace .🙏🙏🙏 sharks are in the ocean.

[rexduranzelandony]

The sea is both beautiful and deadly. We have to respect it

[jamesshaffer]

Those poor kids. I can’t imagine watching a shark devour my wife, what that man must have felt I would never wish on another. My condolences to the family I hope everyone is okay. RIP mommy.

[markwindow]

I was born & raised in Adelaide, South Australia. I was 8-years-old when this attack occurred. I remember this attack. Growing up watching Jaws, this only confirmed I would barely enter the ocean.

[alexandertelehin]

I was a young 34 years old when this shark attack made the head lines in Australia. I spent some 20 odd years SCUBA diving for various sea foods starting about that time. It was always on my mind. My daughters told me that it was time to stop diving when an abalone diver was taken 12 miles from home.

[DGMansell]

Sometimes people drowned because the severity of the bite or the shark drags them down in deeper water. #1 shark safety tip : Only swim/get in contained water…….Pool/ Hot Tub. Best shark attack tip ever, trust me!

[snifftheglove]

I'm a native south Australian - Have surfed and fished my entire life but quit surfing at 30 due to a GW encounter in this same area of coastline (it was approx 200km further west at Cactus beach). This stretch of coast has to be one of the sharkiest places in the world! Big whites.
A few of us had an encounter back in the day. It was like a 5m submarine doing parallels back n forth, eyeing off a handful of surfers. Everyone got back in safe but was enough to curb my enthusiasm for surfing. I got into shore before the shark started stalking the others. I watched from an elevated position as it super slowly followed the others in. Hard to describe the feeling U get when U think you're about to see someone get eaten alive.

[whoopiecushiondisco]

A family friend has touched on this occasionally over the years. To this day it still affects him. I believe he was a witness to it the day it happened and he was a close friend to Shirley and her family. She was apparently only in waist deep water at the time of the attack. 😔🙏

[JuanSanchez-tkvr]

The number of HORRIBLE Great White Shark attacks in Australia and these people STILL risk their lives in those beaches.

[DBarns]

Wow! That was frightening. I can't even imagine the horror of what the family witnessed. Especially those poor children. They're probably going to have nightmares for the rest of their lives because of that. When they said the divers couldn't recover the remains of the victim, part of me thought it was just as well. The family had suffered enough trauma. This might have made things worse rather than better had they found her. I don't know if I could deal with it, if it had been my family member. My sympathies to the family if they should read this. 😢

[truthserum]

This is exactly what happened to Simon Nellist in Little Bay Sydney less than a year ago, first fatality since 1963 in Sydney waters, it was absolutely brutal.

[catkeys]

Considering the sheer violence of it, the woman probably went immediately into shock and didn't feel much; the real pain is felt by her poor friends and family. May she live on in fond memories. R.I.P.

[aquariumdude]

How horrible! God help her poor family and grant her eternal peace.

[rottweilerfun]

Poor Shirley, how terrible. I can imagine that seeing the attack had to be brutal for her husband and children to witness.

[toscadonna]

This story reminds me of Simon Nellist who was eaten by a GWS off the coast of Australia back in Feb 2022. The video was pretty graphic. He was bitten in half up to his buttocks in the first breach of the shark, and then she came back and ate his torso. So sad. What a violent way to die. I feel badly for this mother and her family who watched her get eaten like that. RIP.

[adotintheshark]

Being near or in the water in Australia can be a dangerous proposition. From sharks to salt water crocs to stone fish, there's lots of creatures that could take your life.