Followers

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Video: Great white shark circles kayakers and fishermen in Sydney


Amazing footage of the moment a group of kayakers and fishermen found themselves being circled by a great white shark has been released.

29 Dec 08: After reports over the Christmas period of an increase in Great White Shark sightings these kayakers came a little too close for comfort. ; http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1488655367/bctid5963257001 http://www.brightcove.com/channel.jsp?channel=1139053637

One of the group was even knocked into the water by the shark, and was forced to tread water while the man-eating creature circled him for a minute.

The incident took place in Sydney, Australia, on the same day that Brian Guest, of Perth, was killed by a shark on the other side of the country.

Steve Kulcsar, the 29-year-old kayaker who was knocked overboard, told the Australian Daily Telegraph: "A fisherman yelled out, 'There's a 5m shark coming your way.' We all thought he was just trying to stir us up for a laugh, but a few moments later, a big fin appeared."

Mr Kulcsar recalled the moment the shark bumped him into the water. "I wasn't really worried about the shark, actually," he told the newspaper. "I knew it was there, but my first thought was to just get back in the kayak as quick as possible."

He said that making a quick change in direction could have been what prompted the shark to go for his boat.

"When it cruised past me, I thought I was safe, so I went as quickly as I could in the opposite direction," he said. "I think that was my mistake, because then it turned around and chased me. If I had stayed still, I think I would have been OK."

After a minute in the water, Mr Kulcsar was able to climb back into his kayak. The fishermen then hauled him into their boat. After ten nervy minutes, the shark lost interest in the group and swam away.

Mr Kulcsar added: "I'm not really shaken up at all. At the time I was, but now I'm just having a few beers."

Original here

No comments: