Yikes

Nasty!
He'll need a gin and tonic to calm his nerves after that encounter ??

Severne riders do go above and beyond to test the kit strength..

On a serious note very happy for him he's ok. Looks scary. Hope he wasn't water starting ..

I would hope he was waterstarting. Were in trouble if a shark did that while sailing.

I never had a taste for severne sails either ,
looks like it had 3 good bites ,glad he's ok

Raspberry flavour.

From the horse's mouth, James Beach's FB post.

Had an interesting windsurf session yesterday when I was attacked by a 3m great white!

Whilst sailing off 4th Beach in Esperance with my freestyle gear I crashed a shaka about 400m out. Almost as soon as I hit the water I looked up to see a 3m great white nibbling the top of my sail. "Faaark there's a bloody shaaaaark!" It was thrashing about chewing my sail with its cheesy grin and I was very quick to get onto my board! So greatful to be having the bigger floatier fstyle board compared to my wave board that day.

It then began circling me maybe 1-2 m away. What was left of my sail was underwater, my board flipped upside down. I was balancing on my upturned board with one leg, the other lightly pushing on the sail trying to keep it at a 45deg or less so it kept me stable. I was worried if the rig went vertical underwater I'd loose stability and fall in. It worked pretty well, the board covering me on one side and the sail on the other. The bright fluro lime and black coloured psycho freestyle board deck might have also acted as natures universal "don't bite me I'll kill you" colour scheme?

There were a half dozen kiters about 300m downwind. I was yelling flat out trying to get their attention and waving my arms but with my mast underwater they though I was some useless kook on a SUP or something?

The circling white would come almost within arms reach on the board side and I would slap the water hard to try and scare it off. It didn't care. It might then go 8m away before coming right back again for a few laps.

I thought about waterstarting but the risk was too high having to get in the water to flip my board and then get the sail into position, and I wasn't sure if the damage to my sail would mean I'd struggle to waterstart anyway, there was 1/3 of it missing.

After 10min of this, the shark still right on me, I had drifted close enough to get within earshot of the kiters. "Theres a ****ing shaarrrk!" I yelled as another kiter yelled back "Paddle in!". Yeah like hell that was an option with the shark still right one me.

Just before I hit the wave zone a kiter came and plonked himself next to me and asked if I wanted a tow in. "MATE get ****ing moving!!" I yelled. This guy had no idea of the situation. I think he thought I was scared stiff and unable to move? I lost eye of the shark and I think maybe this guy did scare it off a little. This was probably the sketchiest part of the whole thing.

A about 20 sec later I copped a set on the head still on my upturned board. In the whitewater with no sight of the shark I flicked my rig upright and sailed out stat, stoked that my shredded sail still had enough power to plane out of there.

The whole time I kept calm, just focusing on the unfolding situation, keeping an eye on sharkyface and the position of my kit with the intention to just wait it out.

I was so stoked it was cross onshore. If I had have floated offshore I'm not sure I'd be here writing this, the shark seemed pretty keen for some tucker.

Lots of friends have checked in asking if I'm OK. Honestly I'm bloody stoked! Not only did I get to experience a top predator up close in the wild doing it's thing, I walked away unscathed and went home to my family with all fingers and toes and bits in place. On top of that Revolution boardsports came to the party and warrantied my sail under "R&D taste testing" ?? Win! (Ben S apologised for leaving a burly bag in the mast tip (joke)) I'm greatful for such a unique experience, but not keen for a rerun.

What blew my mind was the local who offered to drive me back to my car told me on the short drive that he no longer surfs after a failed attack from a 4m white, with a second failed attack just a few weeks later, both in Esperance. Wild.

I packed up my things, and went home to enjoy a crisp Esperance Distillery Co seltzer and play with my son. Then went to the pub for a pint before a good bedtime cuddle with my wife. Good times.

The shark that attacked me was likely the one in the picture below filmed shortly after (Image: Cale Walker). It is a tagged white that was setting of the shark buoy at Twilight Cove (1.5km away) all morning. I don't support shark culling but I think this shark should be removed from the area. Just closing the beach for a day doesn't feel safe. I'd hate for anyone else to have an interaction with it and not come home in one piece, or at all.

Finally, whilst I'm super stoked and can laugh at this experience, I'm mindful that there are families in Esperance that haven't been so lucky with family members that have never come home. I'm one of the lucky ones.

So good that your fine What a story for the grand kids. I'd hang that sail in the man cave.

Kudos to severne crew for providing a new sail. Not the first time severne team has done good deeds for others.

Shark went for the red sail. Must have been a bull shark.

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GasHazard said..
Shark went for the red sail. Must have been a bull shark.

This is what i worry about every time i wave sail... So glad he made it out alive.

Why was the shark hanging round for 10+ minutes? It had a taste of the sail, didn't want to eat that, so what was it waiting for? Are they smart enough to see the primate on the flotsam? Yet not smart enough to either knock it off the board, or jump up for a chomp.

Hmm, i've always thought that the sail would scare them away.

Now i am worried.

Should i get a Severne in-case this happens and get shark warranty, or stick with Ezzy's and hope the xply get's stuck in it's teeth and leaves?

This seems like a crazy shark? It ate sail, and half a batten. Why?!

As Wendell said, you'd think if it was doing that then it was after the meat onboard and trying to get it off.
If that is the case then Pricey has freaky mad skills to ride that out.

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Also odd that there's no mention of uphauling. Skilled sailor, floaty board, ripped sail that he thought might not have enough power to waterstart. Even if he didn't have an uphaul rope, you can still "uphaul" by grabbing the mast with your hand. I know he said the board was upside down and the rig at an angle underwater, but ....

Yeah good comment Wendell.

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wendell said..
Also odd that there's no mention of uphauling. Skilled sailor, floaty board, ripped sail that he thought might not have enough power to waterstart. Even if he didn't have an uphaul rope, you can still "uphaul" by grabbing the mast with your hand. I know he said the board was upside down and the rig at an angle underwater, but ....

Obviously in order to do that one would have to get off the upturned board and jump in the water to overturn the board first and then jump back on the board to attempt to uphaul, obviously with some body movement and legs dangling/kicking which might cause a disturbance, so imo staying on top rather than entering the water as he did appeared sensible and would likely not give a predator something to investigate or even more risky - something else to chew on! (one to remember if it ever happens to me as I regularly windsurf alone out on the ocean down on the WA south coast)

Or, you could slip onto the cover of the 45 degree sail when the critter was 8m away, flip the board, the rail of which can then be used to lever the rig up. Uphaul and sail away. As for causing a disturbance, he was slapping the water ... which again makes you wonder what the shark makes of that.
I've never had a sail go more than about 45 degrees underwater, or for more than a minute, and that's letting it rise naturally - I'd only lever against the rail more than gently if I was in a big hurry.

Staying on top of the board is survival instinct, you don't have rational or contemplated options in the moment.

I got nudged a long time ago, grazed skin of my lower thigh. No idea what it was and didn't see it but belted me hard. The first thing that happens is immediate panic, watch the Parko video in SA and you'll get the idea. The panic can also paralyze, can last what seems forever and certainly making a decision like uphauling don't come quickly, especially when the adrenaline rush is making you shake like hell. For me sailing a speed board in dying wind and outgoing tide, water-starting was my only option. One of the biggest leaps of courage I've undertaken was to slide back in the water and very quietly get going.

All good from anyone not actually sitting on their upturned board watching an apex predator chewing your sail a few feet away!
The rational thinking brain would be scattered in that moment, a skilled sailor indeed that showed incredible presence of mind to achieve the outcome he did.
If sharky had been in full hunt/kill mode the outcome may have been very different.
For it to have been there at the exact moment he fell in is either a remarkable coincidence or it was following him?

I'm amazed that there are comments on what should have happened when getting attacked by a shark.

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Imax1 said..
I'm amazed that there are comments on what should have happened when getting attacked by a shark.

Yeah me too......the guy made a potentially life vs death decision and survived unscathed, now there's people saying he should have done it differently!!!

I once got nudged by something big when in the water. I did an amazing waterstart in 3 kts of wind on the wrong side of the board in .3 of a second. I try to waterstart as fast as possible now.

Myself- I would go into squid mode and discoloured the water pretty quick

Yeah getting "sandpapered" is no fun especially in murky water, aside from this one I only know of two windsurfer/shark interactions ( possibly three, the recent wedge incident being a foiler )
One was a long time ago in South Australia which was unfortunately a fatality ( no body found, evidence of white shark on some wetsuit material found).

The other was Burlo in windrider which turned out ok

Does anyone recall a European wave sailor in Geraldton getting attacked, I think possibly a medical event may have occurred prior?

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STUMP said..
Yeah getting "sandpapered" is no fun especially in murky water, aside from this one I only know of two windsurfer/shark interactions ( possibly three, the recent wedge incident being a foiler )
One was a long time ago in South Australia which was unfortunately a fatality ( no body found, evidence of white shark on some wetsuit material found).

The other was Burlo in windrider which turned out ok

Does anyone recall a European wave sailor in Geraldton getting attacked, I think possibly a medical event may have occurred prior?

Was this the shark attack in south Oz from.over 30 years ago?

I remember a few years ago here on SB , a guy posted a pic of his board with shark teeth marks. Happened mid jybe between the foot straps. It was a perfect semi circle about a foot diameter. Both sides of the board.He was asking how to fix the board. It needed to hang unfixed on a man cave wall. I've seen many , many sharks where I sail , but they are all small ......so far.

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Imax1 said..
I remember a few years ago here on SB , a guy posted a pic of his board with shark teeth marks. Happened mid jybe between the foot straps. It was a perfect semi circle about a foot diameter. Both sides of the board.He was asking how to fix the board. It needed to hang unfixed on a man cave wall. I've seen many , many sharks where I sail , but they are all small ......so far.

Haven't seen one yet but a local guy I have sea kayaked with many times has been harassed by a big great white whilst kayaking in the same area I windsurf during summer easterlies, so my chance hasn't come up yet:

www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10153848990334072

www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-28/kayaker-has-close-call-with-shark-in-albany/7670352

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Does anyone recall a European wave sailor in Geraldton getting attacked, I think possibly a medical event may have occurred prior?

Yes was before my time but I know people out the day after and there around that time...20(?) Yrs ago?
Story they say is possible insurance scam
Nothing found
With two friends
And the next day the two friends were out windsurfing as normal no mourning no worries (about a shark etc)....nothing...
Not saying it was an 'insurance scam' but they said it was all a bit strange no wetsuit found.
There's a memorial rock to him I said a wee prayer to a couple of mnths ago...

Good.luck matey .....maybe in indo with heaps of money from Germany... who knows..

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AusMoz said..

STUMP said..
Yeah getting "sandpapered" is no fun especially in murky water, aside from this one I only know of two windsurfer/shark interactions ( possibly three, the recent wedge incident being a foiler )
One was a long time ago in South Australia which was unfortunately a fatality ( no body found, evidence of white shark on some wetsuit material found).

The other was Burlo in windrider which turned out ok

Does anyone recall a European wave sailor in Geraldton getting attacked, I think possibly a medical event may have occurred prior?

Was this the shark attack in south Oz from.over 30 years ago?

Hardwicke bay S.A 1999.