Surfer Escapes Shark: Australian Surfer Catches Wave, Out-Swims 9-Foot-Long Shark
A surfer escaped a shark in Australia by being brave — and catching a lucky break. According to the New York Post, Andy Johnston, 38, was enjoying the water and the waves in Perth last month when a 9-foot shark started trailing him. The huge shark was only about six feet away from Johnston when onlookers noticed and started screaming for the surfer to hurry up and get out of the water. Taking a very calm approach, Johnston said that he was determined to not freak out and wait for a wave that would carry him to shore. Lucky for him, it happened just as he had planned.
Stunning photos show a great white shark chasing an Australian surfer back to shore http://t.co/L78GrPs8tB pic.twitter.com/lqoIuesElJ
— New York Post (@nypost) November 1, 2014
“I’d rather try to hold my ground against it and not freak out and make a commotion. If you’re going to get chomped, then you’re going to get chomped. There’s nothing you can do about it. I didn’t know it came up quite so close as I was paddling into the wave,” said Johnston.
The surfer escaped the shark, but things almost didn’t turn out okay. You see, when Johnston caught the wave back to shore, the shark actually followed him.
“We were at a lookout and we saw a shadow in the water. It became evident it was shark and everyone started shouting. There was[sic] about a dozen surfers and paddleboarders in the water.?.?. He followed him to shore for a bit. He was only a body-length behind,” said witness Frits De Bruyn, who was able to take some incredible photos (like the one seen above).
Another “surfer escapes shark” story made headlines today, too. According to the Mail Online, Mckenzie Clark, 34, was in Hawaii waters when she bumped into what she thought was a rock. Well, she was totally wrong. While she wasn’t as lucky as Mr. Johnston, Clark wasn’t completely torn to shreds by the 12-foot-long fish that invaded her fun beach day. Her surfboard had several bite marks on it… and so did her left hand. She was in good spirits following the attack, however, likely happy just to be alive.
“I was just scared. I didn’t know what to do. The first time it bumped me I thought, ‘What’s happening? Did I hit a rock?’ I was kind of in disbelief. It just happened so fast,” Clark explained.
Shark stories are becoming more and more popular lately. In an earlier report by the Inquisitr, a man in New South Wales, Australia, was recently attacked while surfing. Needless to say, Johnston was really lucky to have gotten away without getting bit.
[Photo courtesy of Barry Haynes via Wikimedia Commons]
