shark attack
A pal of Mason's who was examining the surf, Scott Boxsell, said, "I was pretty keen to go out there too and he just…disappeared. We all know the risk out here but we sorta take it on." | Photo: @9news

Surfer hit by shark on Australia’s mid-north coast: “He just disappeared!”

Man nicknamed "Shark Bait" becomes ninth serious shark attack victim in Australia in past two months…

You could get a terrible cramp in your typing fingers from covering every shark attack in Australia, especially as the needle swings over to summer.

Fatals, yes, attacks on surfers, sometimes, depending on the wound.

Yesterday’s attack on a surfer who proudly wears the nickname “Shark Bait” was the ninth serious shark in Australia in the past 71 days.

Joel Mason, who is thirty six, was attacked by a shark near Scotts Head Beach in Nambucca Heads. Mason swam to the nearby breakwall where an off-duty lifeguard used his leash for a tourniquet and beach towels to slow the bleeding from his mauled leg.

A pal of Mason’s who was examining the surf, Scott Boxsell, said, “I was pretty keen to go out there too and he just…disappeared. We all know the risk out here but we sorta take it on.”

Mason’s dad, Rob, said there ain’t a thing his son likes more than a solo early and said, “He says he’s shark  bait but he’s prepared to take the risk and he does.”

A helicopter took Mason to John Hunter hospital in Newcastle three hundred clicks south for surgery, making an emergency landing for more blood on the way.

All nearby beaches were subsequently closed etc, not that that means much I suppose.

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rwvbwl
rwvbwl
7 years ago

Go drop a lil’ bug into your aquarium, watch the lil’ fish~ies attack it on the waters surface.
You are Thee Bug when you paddle out to ride a few waves before work, school, livin’ your life.
Hope ya don’t get bitten, it’s a rather large aquarium we like to play in for a few hours sometimes, right?

rwvbwl
rwvbwl
7 years ago
Reply to  rwvbwl

Even though I’m here in L.A.
I saw this recent story the other day on 9News:
“How Australian governments are hoping to prevent shark attacks”
Link: https://www.9news.com.au/20…

An image in the video clip linked above made me think, what does a shark see, sense when all these people came out, now splashin’, maybe even urinating in the local waters that this apex preditor swims in, all day~every day, even right now, tonight too, same so tomorrow?

https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Potential prey? Like they are a buncha seals, or schools of fish?
Might be a good idea not to piss in your wetsuit,
may~be even wash it out some~times.
And get a Shark Shield.

Phat-wan kerr
Phat-wan kerr
7 years ago
Reply to  rwvbwl

maybe urinating?

Rumpelstiltskin
Rumpelstiltskin
7 years ago

i knew a shark bait growing up around streaky bay as a kid, he was an old abalone diver with this crazy white stripe of hair thru a full head of black, when i would ask was he born with that white strip, he said no and would tell be about the time a 15 ft white pegged him to the bottom circling right above his head, he said he was so scared that when he got to the surface he had this big white stripe running thru the middle of his hair, next day he went back to work.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
7 years ago

Streaky Bay . White Streaks on the Scalp and Brown Streaks on the Dive Suit ?

Antipodes
Antipodes
7 years ago

Well that’s got me excited for my Christmas north coast odyssey stopping in at Coffs and Lennox.

Gino
Gino
7 years ago

Too many Fennel Head fuckwits trying to surf there

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
7 years ago

That’s it . Great Fishing spot and a lovely place for a walk along the Breakwall ,Oysters to die for but no waves ! No Seriously Nambucca River Oysters are an absolute culinary treasure , unlike the waves on the mid north coast that suck !

astro
astro
7 years ago

I don’t give fuck what the scientists and greenies say – east coast Aus and west coast Aus needs a cull. It’s apparent and obvious.

Chief Hot stuff
Chief Hot stuff
7 years ago
Reply to  astro

Agreed.
Fuk off retard greenies
Stick to tree hugging
You were kinda useful then

Superworm
Superworm
7 years ago
Reply to  astro

Vic Hislop for pm!

Thetruth
Thetruth
7 years ago

Hate to own one of them fuckin surf schools down there.

janeausten
janeausten
7 years ago

Hope he’s ok,and all, sorry he got hit, but are we onto a BBQ sauce/ shark attraction link here?

ricmatic
ricmatic
7 years ago
Reply to  janeausten

Investigation leads where it leads Harry.

janeausten
janeausten
7 years ago
Reply to  ricmatic

At first I thought, self fulfilling prophecy, but now it seems premeditated.

Superworm
Superworm
7 years ago
Reply to  ricmatic

Dry

Superworm
Superworm
7 years ago
Reply to  janeausten

You beat me to it by only 14 hours!

Too much liability!
Too much liability!
7 years ago

Well, that’s the straw/shark that broke the the camels back….WSL is never holding a contest again in Australia.

The Bitchy Crab
The Bitchy Crab
7 years ago

You would think! Five more years at Margs, presuming the WSL is around that long.

Superworm
Superworm
7 years ago

Thoughts on that topic?

The Bitchy Crab
The Bitchy Crab
7 years ago

I can’t imagine anyone besting you in social games.

@surfads
@surfads
7 years ago

We already have a Shark Bait in Newcastle though. This could be confusing if they both have to order a coffee, visit the doctors, be summoned to court etc.

But all the best to this imposter Shark Bait and his recovery, especially considering his heroic post-attack swim from Scotts Head to Nambucca (Knackers must have been on smoko?)

The Bitchy Crab
The Bitchy Crab
7 years ago
Reply to  @surfads

It’s ever so unclear. Was it Scott’s Head or Nambucca breakwall? Might have to bring the Blakeys into it. It’s their turf. UTFS etc.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
7 years ago

It appears that the ambulance picked him up at Wellington Drive which is the road that winds down from the old highway to the Nambucca Breakwall so one would imagine he was at the rivermouth ( that place was sharky in the 80s when sharks were extinct ) and possibly swam across the river from the beach on the southern side of the rivermouth which is actually called Forster Beach to the Breakwall on the Northern side of the entrance to the Nambucca River ? Go to google maps .

@surfads
@surfads
7 years ago

Sounds like deliberate misinformation. Were there in fact multiple sharks? Perhaps positioned on the Grassy (head) knoll?

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
7 years ago
Reply to  @surfads

No waves ever at the Rivermouth so understandable that reporters from the Port Macquarie News were surprised that the poor bugger had a surfboard with him and assumed he got washed up from the Scotts Head Bowlo ?

The Bitchy Crab
The Bitchy Crab
7 years ago
Reply to  @surfads

Maybe surfing’s Gulf of Tonkin?

@surfads
@surfads
7 years ago

Charlie don’t surf!

The Bitchy Crab
The Bitchy Crab
7 years ago

Can I leave google mapping to you? i just interviewed a lovely Australian actor called Jack Thompson and my day is gonna be swallowed by transcribing. (Editing out my girl shrieks etc.)

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
7 years ago

Would love to help but Sadly I am technically inept .Can find it myself but don’t have the skills to post it . Silly old bugger me .Wow Jack Thompson Actor ! How is the old playboy ?

The Bitchy Crab
The Bitchy Crab
7 years ago

Still swinging!

Dogsnuts
Dogsnuts
7 years ago

Elated by his sister/sister feats?

GBP
GBP
7 years ago

You should give this a burl Dez. Goes alright.

https://otter.ai

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
7 years ago

Aren’t they from New Brighton originally ?

The Bitchy Crab
The Bitchy Crab
7 years ago

I think old boy lives there now.

Lemon Next to the Pie
Lemon Next to the Pie
7 years ago
Reply to  @surfads

Dude. Anyone surfing between Newcastle and Byron Bay this summer could plausibly be moniker-ed ‘Shark Bait’.

The Bitchy Crab
The Bitchy Crab
7 years ago

I pray they don’t take Longtom.

turts
turts
7 years ago

Every time there’s an attack in this area I assume it’s longtom

@surfads
@surfads
7 years ago
Reply to  turts

I thought he was vegetarian?

Otto
Otto
7 years ago
Reply to  turts

I didn’t know disappointment was such an adrenaline rush.

Could it be the relief? At some point doesn’t line between relief and disappointment become murky?
Surely it can’t be the relief why you always assume?

longtom
longtom
7 years ago

be great for business!

Superworm
Superworm
7 years ago
Reply to  longtom

Bad for literacy

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
7 years ago

I told them not to educate the sharks . They will start to question the status quo and consumerism of the City , then follow in the wake of Nat and Co on the hippy trail to Byron ?

Arn Anderson
Arn Anderson
7 years ago
Reply to  @surfads

We can’t have two Shark Baits. What if this guy gets to keep his, and we’ll call your guy either “T-Bone” or “CoCo”.

Superworm
Superworm
7 years ago
Reply to  @surfads

I believe there was one at 🌵
Pretty much the OG

Wiggolly's Paddling Style
Wiggolly's Paddling Style
7 years ago

Oh not Shark Bait! This sounds like a job for the formidable duo Wiggs and his 12ft tinny named, Tim. You’re fucked you sharkie cunt I’m gonna put a whale harpoon through ya. Then I’m coming for the Parliament.

Otto
Otto
7 years ago

George Clinton gets the Wiggolly’s when he’s in a funk too.

The Bitchy Crab
The Bitchy Crab
7 years ago

He’s a pal of yours?

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
7 years ago

Don’t feel to bad Derek , your old mates at Stab used a photo of Scotts Head with a caption , Nambucca Heads ( about 25km by road and 12km as the crow flys ) . Hope the big Dugong / Sharkbait will be back out there soon doing his thing .

The Bitchy Crab
The Bitchy Crab
7 years ago

Too bad the lug’s married. He could dine on this story for years.

wincy
wincy
7 years ago

Very impartial assessment by the father.

The Bitchy Crab
The Bitchy Crab
7 years ago
Reply to  wincy

He certainly wasn’t taking sides.

Superworm
Superworm
7 years ago

Solo over Red Bull?


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