08 October 2020 1 Min Read
Close call for EL man as shark attacks surf ski
in News by Sandiso Phaliso
A whale carcass that was washed up along Bonza Bay beach is attracting large sharks to the shore. A man riding a surf ski discovered this when he was hit by a shark.
Image: SUPPLIED
Image: SUPPLIED
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A whale carcass that was washed up along Bonza Bay beach is attracting large sharks to the shore. Mike Smit discovered this when his surf ski was hit by a shark. He survived – unhurt, but shaken.
The 59-year-old paddler said that at about 3:15pm on Wednesday a shark attacked him. He said the scent of the decaying carcass attracted “predators”, making the beach unsafe for paddlers, surfers and swimmers.
Smith advised the public to avoid going to the beach. This was also the advice of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality.
“The shark grabbed on the back of the ski,” said Smit. He said the incident lasted about 10 seconds, but “it felt like forever”.
“I had a terrible fright," said Smith.
Dave de Coning, also a surfer, told DispatchLIVE: “December (holidays) is coming now and there are going to be lots of people on the beach.”
DispatchLIVE