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10/9/2004 Wayne Monk (South Africa)

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 1:35 pm
by Guest
10/9/2004 Wayne Monk 34 Puncture wounds on right foot Jeffrey's Bay Eastern Cape Province
South Africa Surfing Morning
1.5 to 2 m raggedtooth shark

Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 9:51 pm
by sharkbait
Foot and Mouth: Monk tries to kick the habit

Monday 11 October, 2004

JEFFREY’S BAY (ECN) -- An East London surfer was attacked by what appears to have been a Ragged Tooth shark at one of South Africa’s premier surf spots, Supertubes in Jeffrey’s Bay, early on the morning of Saturday 9 October.

Six-time South African champion surfer Wayne Monk, 34, had just kicked out of a wave when he was hit from below by the shark.

'It grabbed my foot and pulled me down,' said Monk, who now surfs competitively for Border. 'When I came back up and looked down, I saw this big brown thing underneath me.'

Ragged Tooth sharks can grow to about four metres, and are considered reasonably passive by many shark experts.

'I’m lucky. If it had been a Great White, I wouldn’t have a foot,' said Monk.

The plucky surfer kicked at the shark and screamed at a fellow surfer who was in the water nearby, 'I’m being attacked!'

Monk evaded his fishy attacker when another wave came by and washed him onto some rocks.

Monk was unable to find a doctor to treat his injuries in Jeffrey’s Bay. The attack happened at 7:30 in the morning.

'I went to the hospital in Humansdorp [about twenty minutes out of Jeffrey’s Bay] and got my foot bandaged up.'

'If it had been a bad accident, I would have been in trouble.'

Monk was in Jeffrey’s Bay with his wife, celebrating their ten year wedding anniversary.

'Hey, at least we’re never going to forget our anniversary,' Monk laughed. – ECN

http://www.wavescape.co.za/top_bar/tidi ... monk04.htm