DWing pesty shark in Oz.

[DavidJohn]

Don't ya hate it when a shark hassles you on a good downwinder.. 

This just happened to one of the guys in Sydney..

Hey folks, I am the lucky / unlucky paddler. It happened off currumbin on a pretty wide line, I saw the shark swim past and thought cool shark, then a few seconds later he bit or rammed my fin and I managed to land on my board. Then I turned around to see him coming again so I just splashed the top of the water, after a few more approaches I started stabbing it with my blade, it was like hitting a rock!! I was impressed with the strength of my fanatic paddle  I did manage to break the handle off but just re glued it. This went on for about 5-10 minutes, it must of charged me 20 times and I hit it really hard about 10 times, it never latched onto my board, then Andrew Kerr was coming past out wide and I yelled out to him, he and Karla came straight to me as fast as they could and Andrew rafted up next to me then it just tailed us for a while longer and finally left us! I'm stoked I was with a group and they charged in without considering there safety. Thanks for all the concern from the sup community, have had a few visits and calls today. Board is fixed and ready to go. Sat is looking good lets get 50 people together and go for it  hopefully that's the last time I have to tell the story!!!! Ben P.s i dunno what type of shark it was, but was thinking it was a bull from how insane it was.

[Off-Shore]

This reminds me of a similar story in 2010

http://www.surfermag.com/features/gwspaddlerace07/

I've always kept this story in my mind when I'm out there. Getting down on your knees and slapping the water with the paddle seems one of the few options that may work... at least until help comes...

Glad to see no one was hurt and the paddle survived too.

[PonoBill]

Wild story, that's one you can tell for the next twenty years. Certainly sounds like a bull, the name could come from their blind persistence.

[supthecreek]

That's pretty crazy... i am glad you landed on the board, or it might have had a different ending.
Good fight... and I agree, super stoked that your crew jumped into the fray and helped discourage it.

Soooo.... were was your trusty GoPro rig when you need it??

[headmount]

Yeah Wow.  So the 'group up' worked as it stopped the ramming routine?  Color of the fin?  Board?  Does the guy work in a fish market?  I'm interested in more info if you have it.  We see'em but no rams so far.  Always have thought that an inert object would present no attraction but this story shots a hole in that theory.