Just been kite foiling and hit a tiger shark with the foil! Pretty shaken up but all good.
Launched at Leighton and tacked up the 1.5km to top of port beach ready for a short downwind run. I was about 100m offshore when I saw a tiger shark about 5m directly in front of me really close to the surface of the water.
I knew I was going to hit it but tried to head up wind to avoid - But I was too late - Hit it from behind and it immediately stopped the board and I fell in. Shark thrashed about just a few metres away from me, obviously stunned whilst I tried to get back on the board and foil. Not easy in 10 knots on a 7m kite full of adrenaline! It swam, still thrashing about looking aggressive, about 3m from me turned around and then disappeared into the deep. I got on the foil and headed straight to shore to collect myself.

Reported it the surf life saving who were heading up the beach in their RHIB doing a normal patrol.
No damage but knocked my foil loose. Foiled back down the coast and headed in.

And before anyone asks, no I didn't have a camera!

MikeyG said..
Just been kite foiling and hit a tiger shark with the foil! Pretty shaken up but all good.
Launched at Leighton and tacked up the 1.5km to top of port beach ready for a short downwind run. I was about 100m offshore when I saw a tiger shark about 5m directly in front of me really close to the surface of the water.
I knew I was going to hit it but tried to head up wind to avoid - But I was too late - Hit it from behind and it immediately stopped the board and I fell in. Shark thrashed about just a few metres away from me, obviously stunned whilst I tried to get back on the board and foil. Not easy in 10 knots on a 7m kite full of adrenaline! It swam, still thrashing about looking aggressive, about 3m from me turned around and then disappeared into the deep. I got on the foil and headed straight to shore to collect myself.

Reported it the surf life saving who were heading up the beach in their RHIB doing a normal patrol.
No damage but knocked my foil loose. Foiled back down the coast and headed in.

And before anyone asks, no I didn't have a camera!

I've had a similar experience on my eFoil down winding about 500m off Brighton Beach on Xmas Eve - on a big bomb and there was a juvenile white ~2m (unmistakeable the girth on the thing!) chilling on the surface and I was heading straight for it full tilt!

Managed to hook a big turn and just miss the thing, but there was a guy about 500m behind me on a SUP foil so I Siri messaged the girlfriend from my Watch who was my downwind caddy to call it in!

Seen several Tiger's on my travels too

I've also been called off the water twice at Port Beach by the Westpac chopper - seen a fin there from about 100m in Winter

And been about 30m away from a big 3.5-4m adult down at Blue Haven in November - with the insane water clarity it was crazy just seeing this submarine and giant fin - punched it straight to shore to fire up the drone, but it was to windy and I couldn't fly it safely to catch the shark on video

They are definitely out there

MikeyG said..
Just been kite foiling and hit a tiger shark with the foil! Pretty shaken up but all good.
Launched at Leighton and tacked up the 1.5km to top of port beach ready for a short downwind run. I was about 100m offshore when I saw a tiger shark about 5m directly in front of me really close to the surface of the water.
I knew I was going to hit it but tried to head up wind to avoid - But I was too late - Hit it from behind and it immediately stopped the board and I fell in. Shark thrashed about just a few metres away from me, obviously stunned whilst I tried to get back on the board and foil. Not easy in 10 knots on a 7m kite full of adrenaline! It swam, still thrashing about looking aggressive, about 3m from me turned around and then disappeared into the deep. I got on the foil and headed straight to shore to collect myself.

Reported it the surf life saving who were heading up the beach in their RHIB doing a normal patrol.
No damage but knocked my foil loose. Foiled back down the coast and headed in.

And before anyone asks, no I didn't have a camera!

Dam...... We need a new rule here on the forum..... no shark stories

Last year saw some 2.5m to 3m sharks in chest deep water where a creek enters the bay near the shore where I kitefoil a number of times. It's a lot easier to see sharks in clear water on a foil, and these were swimming along the bottom not at the surface where they could get hit.
This is an area where lots of people swim and mess about in the water and I figured if no-one had been chomped so far it's not a problem.

I assume sharks are everywhere and part of the natural environment where I live just like the kangaroos in my yard.

Years ago I had one accidentally hit my surfboard with its dorsal fin. We were going in perpendicular angles to each other, but traveling at speed. I though I hit a piece of wood at first. It didn't knock me off as I had one foot in the front strap, but I nearly went over. When I looked around to see what I hit there was no splash, no jumping fish or anything I could see. I got back to the beach and picked up my board and then saw a dorsal fin wedge two inches into my board (with a bamboo top). The grey flesh told the real story. I have no doubt that shark was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I felt bad for the creature.
Last year I saw my first decent size white pointer at our local while pulling off the back of a little wave. When you see one, the shape and form is unmistakable. It was not interested in me, but I didn't hang around to get another look.
When you foil you see what is in the water much more clearly. I have seen plenty now, mostly near the creek entrance.

CH3MTR4IL5 said..
Have hit a small tiger with foil at hillary's, had a compression on base of the board at secrets and broke a board in half on a shark at trigg.

in 2 out of 3 cases i hit them not the other way around, they were just as terrified as i was, i faceplanted on the trigg one and it bolted. The secrets one was evening full moon running late on a downwinder and i got hit on the bottom of the board while getting back on, sent me a couple of feet into the air. I still have the board, has a big round ding in the base. It was surprisingly close to shore.

I think you ought to buy yourself a lottery ticket mate, 120M this Thursday

MikeyG said..
Just been kite foiling and hit a tiger shark with the foil! Pretty shaken up but all good.
Launched at Leighton and tacked up the 1.5km to top of port beach ready for a short downwind run. I was about 100m offshore when I saw a tiger shark about 5m directly in front of me really close to the surface of the water.
I knew I was going to hit it but tried to head up wind to avoid - But I was too late - Hit it from behind and it immediately stopped the board and I fell in. Shark thrashed about just a few metres away from me, obviously stunned whilst I tried to get back on the board and foil. Not easy in 10 knots on a 7m kite full of adrenaline! It swam, still thrashing about looking aggressive, about 3m from me turned around and then disappeared into the deep. I got on the foil and headed straight to shore to collect myself.

Reported it the surf life saving who were heading up the beach in their RHIB doing a normal patrol.
No damage but knocked my foil loose. Foiled back down the coast and headed in.

And before anyone asks, no I didn't have a camera!

Geez, that would have to be my worst fear while foiling.. Glad you're ok.

Better to look at them than hitting them... This one was in Coral Bay (5 fingers), completely submerged so only saw him at the last moment.
Luckily, he wasn't on my path...

DerekR said..
As foils have no noise and no pressure wave, basking and shallow swimming marine life have little chance of knowing your coming at speed. At least they can hear kite board, jet ski etc. Would be a good invention to develop a low drag underwater foil 'whistle'.

Fit a shark shield freedom surf, it will scare them off

theDoctor said..

is a 'camera' another another way of saying a 'sheet in your pants'....?

This comment wins the internet!! ??????

dachopper said..

Sandee said..

dachopper said..


Fit a shark shield freedom surf, it will scare them off

Hahaha, how's that going to work, when the board (and electrodes) aren't even on the water??

I haven't heard of anyone getting bitten by an " airborne jaws"

This is obviously for after you hit the shark so it doesn't spin around and bite your arms and legs off...

Or for those lonely dusk swims after the wind drops and your left paddling a km.

Yeah, might be good for the long paddle in, but won't prevent a collision. And I doubt it'll help much after the collision if you've landed several metres from the board?