Read all about it

www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/3709568/windsurfer-escapes-shark/?cs=305

I suppose that the FSW for a wave board now stands for 'Frantic Shark Watcher' Maybe it was attracted by menu item...Full Wood Sandwich Sharks have been in the news a lot during recent times and mostly from NSW. Could happen anywhere, anytime. Sharks do need to improve their table manners though

Sounds like a close call, luckily he is OK. Makes you think twice about going in the surf........

Geezus - never would have thought that a shark would go a fast moving board? I've always thought you'd be safe when moving along.

Can't even imagine what it would be like to be cruising along, minding your own business and a shark stops you in your tracks! Looking down at a beasty biting into your board. F... that!

Could have easily been a body part involved - his foot comes to mind.

A shark expert might be able to identify what species? Any tooth fragments in the punctures?

All the best with your getting back out there mate. I'd be interested in hearing some more about your heavy ordeal. You dodged a bullet!

Maybe it kinda exciting for them like a popper is. Good to hear you made it thru all right morrie.

Apparently GWS (whitey bitty) have a top speed of about 21-22 knots, although they are not the fastest shark (or so google tells me). So speed is your friend as well as an up-haul rope and a few hard pumps to get the hell out of there!

Glad to hear he was not injured!

R1DER said..
I'm curious to know how fast he was going? Chugging along at 5 knot's or powered up planing at 30 knot's.
I also wonder if the quatro graphics look like food to a shark?

It was pretty windy last Thursday and from the description of events it sounds like he was catapulted so probably he was planing when attacked.

Surely this is a warranty

Bite the bullet and have that sucker on your wall for the rest of your life mate. Doesnt get much better than that.

Lucky man it makes you wonder when sailing along if it has happen to anyone but the shark has just missed by a whisker.

Put some fibreglass mat with a clear finish so to can see the teeth holes, like this one I did on mine but less bodgy.

Two solid days in a row and my dropped gybe (90%) time in water has been cut in half with this in the back/front of my mind. Its helped though, used to be 95%

ma said..



Surely this is a warranty

The evenly spaced tooth holes go right around into a neat semi circle. That shark had a big head. The diameter of the bite marks seem to be 3-4 handspans wide = 300mm - 400mm approx. Can anyone guess from this how big the body was? Not a littely is my guess. Definitely a leg swallower.

The good thing is that shark wont chomp on a sailboard again. He was swimming around and thought can I eat this? has a chomp, NO, swims off, thinks I can't eat them.

Found it (2006) - my memory's not too bad.

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Shark-attack-at-Gnaraloo/?page=1

How strong was the bite? Sometimes you see surfboards bitten all the through. A windsurfing board would be stronger, though I look at the depth of the teeth marks and wonder if it bit down hard or changed its mind. Tiger sharks can bite through a turtle shells and they are fairly tough. A shark of around 2.5 - 3 metres would have considerable strength. The even spacing of those holes also make me think it was a GW as others are suspecting.