1991/02/12 Edward Hayman - South Africa -

[sharkbait]

Attack at Millers Point, False bay- Cape Town

12-Feb-1991 by Edward Hayman

Adrian van der Merwe and myself where diving rock lobster and perlemoen at the time of the attack.

We entered the water to the north of the point at about 11.45am and swam towards the point looking for rock lobster and perlemoen.

The viz was a murky 20foot, but on the bottom it was 30-40foot.

We had been in the water for about an hour when we found a reef full of rock lobster and perlemoen.

Adrian said that he did not like the viz and was a bit nervous.

We were about 150m out in 25foot of water. I was just coming up from one of my dives when about 4foot from the surface l saw this monster of a white about 5foot from me.

The shark was about 5-6m in length and about 2.5m wide.

l saw the sharks head turn towards me but then l broke the surface and lost sight of the shark.

l immediately started to swim away from the sharks head towards the tail and towards my gun.

The next instant my right fin was grabbed by the shark and l was pulled through the water.

l managed to punch the shark above one of it`s gill slits but nothing happened, so l then reached forward to stick my thumb into the sharks eye when it suddenly released me.

I immediately raced for my buoy and gun looking in the direction in which the shark disappeared.

Adrian and myself reached our buoys at the same time when the shark passed below us again and vanished into the murk.( Adrian had seen the shark when it hit me on the surface.)

On reaching the shore and looking at my lacerated fin l only noticed that the shark had bitten my foot aswell.

I had two lacerations to my right foot.

http://www.spearfishingsa.co.za/shark/e ... attack.htm