05/29/2011 Clinton Nelson ( South Africa ) No Injury

[helmi]

Warning following shark incident
18:32 (GMT+2), Mon, 30 May 2011

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - A warning is issued for bathers, surfers and paddlers to exercise caution along the Plettenberg Bay coastline.
This warning follows an incident yesterday afternoon where a surfer had his surfboard nudged (pushed/bumped) 3 or 4 times by a shark while he and a friend were surfing at The Wreck (a popular surf spot at the end of Robberg Beach on the Robberg Peninsula).

The surfer, 33 year old Clinton Nelson, from Kommetjie, Cape Town and his friend, 29 year old Matthew Luckman, from George, were in the surf about 30 meters off-shore waiting for wave sets when what appeared to be (according to them) a 4 to 5 meter White Shark appeared and nudged Clinton's surf board 3 or 4 times (it appeared to Matthew that the surf board was being bumped or pushed left and right).
Both men caught the next small wave to shore and neither of the two men were injured.

They have reported the incident to sea rescue authorities.

Ray Farnham, NSRI Plettenberg Bay station commander, confirms that during recent NSRI Plettenberg Bay sea rescue operations a White Shark has been observed in the area.

This warning is an effort to inform other surfers, bathers and paddlers of the incident and to encourage anyone intending to swim, surf or paddle along the Plettenberg Bay stretch of coastline to be cautious.

RELEASED BY: CRAIG LAMBINON
National Sea Rescue Institute
http://www.georgeherald.com/news.aspx?id=6788