Surfer fends off white pointer shark near Lorne
A Victorian surfer says he is lucky he was wearing a thick winter wetsuit after a shark attacked him numerous times off the state's south coast.
Police said six people were in the water at Cathedral Rock, east of Lorne, when a three-metre white pointer emerged about 10–15 metres off shore.
Marcel Brundler said he initially thought the shark was a dolphin.
"But then I realised fairly quick because it was more than half a metre wide, with a massive dorsal fin, and it looked at me," he said.
"Then it kind of dived off, came back and circled me, and took a fair notch out of my board, circled me again, then it got me on my wettie, it got me on my hip.
"Luckily, it's just a little scrape on my skin."
Marcel Brundler used his surfboard to fend off the shark (photo: Marcel Brundler)
The regular surfer was wearing a thick wetsuit to guard against Victoria's chilly waters.
"When he got me he kind of dragged me on a little bit. Luckily I was wearing a really, really thick rubber wetsuit, which probably saved me from bigger injuries," Mr Brundler said.
"Then I've just given him a punch and luckily a set wave came around and I've just taken off on the set wave and ridden it to the rocks to safety."
He estimated the encounter lasted for at least a minute.
"A really, really unpleasant morning."
Mr Brundler said he tried to keep quiet, and keep his pulse down, while fending the shark off with his board.
"I saw he was going to come at me, so I went off my board onto the other side, to defend myself, basically use it as a shield," he said.
He said he had been surfing on the coast for 11 years and had only ever seen one shark.
Despite the ordeal, Mr Brundler said he was mainly upset about the damage to his expensive surfboard and wetsuit, and he intends to be back in the water soon.
Mr Brundler credits his thick winter wetsuit for saving him from injury (photo Marcel Brundler)
"It kind of does [put me off surfing again] but also doesn't, because I'm always in the nature of fish, on the boat, surfing," he said.
"So it's just something you live with, it's just a fish.
"I'm a bit pissed off with him because after he had a nibble of me and he kind of knew there's nothing there, he came back to bite me again, which I think is unusual.
"My theory about sharks is that usually they check you out and then they leave the minute they know it's not a seal.
"He was just curious but to come back, maybe he just wanted to play."
//YVETTE GRAY AND LORETTA FLORANCE
© Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.
Comments
Maybe he just wanted to play WTF..he he
JS boards attract sharks.
sounds like the the shark is lucky marcel didn't slap him around in the car park and drag him down to the nearest ATM to pay for the board.
that's funny chook, and here's hoping he had a better afternoon..
post mick fanning you are going to have to jump on a pointers back and wrassle it through a barrel and onto the beach to get media attention
Great effort. I can't think how I'd react in those circumstances. I 'd guess with a lot
less composure than Marcel.
i think i would freeze in fear and not be able to react until necessary…
what is the % of coloured bottom boards to white bottom surfboards that have been chomped on….9/10 seem to be white…is that because most boards are white?
Yeah well played old mate.
Hopefully that's a one off for Vic.
" My 'theory' about sharks is that usually they check you out and then they leave the minute they know it's not a seal."
Mythbusted
"I,m a bit pissed off with him ,," .. very few people exit the water after an 'encounter' with a great white claiming they were over all happy with the experience. what did he expect ? a rubdown and a shiatsu.
Marcel sounds like one very calm, cool dude really glad he is ok. What makes one shark have a nip and others swim by? If may already happen I don't know but It could be very helpful if CSIRO or Whitetag spoke with Marcel and even those not as fortunate as him who have also survived such encounters/attacks. Were there any external factors that may have attracted the shark? Perhaps bleeding or urinating in your wetsuit whilst surfing on this occasion or recently? Some helpful information could be collected.
Wow that's such a gentle bite for such a big animal.
Anyone seen those Nat Geo Doco's when the stupid apex predators ( bears, lions tigers etc ) are learning about their prey , attacking hedgehogs ,snakes etc. Great work Marcel, you have taught this shark a good lesson about those funny looking black and white jellyfish that taste like crap and leave the roof of your mouth all itchy. Hope you are alright though.
It's been a month to the day since I've seen the last whale for the season along this strech of coast. Must be hungry looking for the next big ticket food item. Them bite marks look a bit like mako to me
I saw a southern right whale last Friday at Torquay point travelling towards Lorne.
It's going to be interesting if there will be more attacks after this, it always seems these days there is a few attacks within months in one state, WA, NSW...now seems it might be Victorias turn again.
We had a few attacks in the late 80,s early 90's but i don't remember many since then?
Fake ?
Apols,
Just strange teeth marks for GW .
Are you for real ant, I have known the bloke for years. He is one of the straightest shooters you will ever come across. How would you have handled the situation ?
Are you for real ant, I have known the bloke for years. He is one of the straightest shooters you will ever come across. How would you have handled the situation ?
Whites and Tigers will have a nibble of anything just because they are curious. Doesn't matter if they know you are not a seal. That's why they latch onto anything they are curious about e.g. outboard motors of boats, and they look nothing like a seal. Lucky man.
those bite marks look more like a baby megladon or the elusive pink retractor shark to me . could even be a sharp tooth gummy
no way a white though.
i have noticed a rising trend of shark racism with any attack being blamedc on the poor old pointer, give em a break
jeez I'm impressed marcel - I don't I would have had a though like "Mr Brundler said he tried to keep quiet, and keep his pulse down, while fending the shark off with his board." you must do yoga or meditation etc.
Anyway, thanks be that you're ol right - and I've learned something should the encounter come my way...
..good idea on CSIRO gathering data..so we can all learn