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A familiar scene on Australian beaches. | Photo: 9News

Australia’s Great White Crisis: Surfer dead after suspected Great White attack at popular Australian beach

After two decades of the Great White being protected, this is the new reality of surfing in Australia.

The usual theatre, surfer hit by shark, paramedics, CPR on the beach, on Australia’s north coast this morning after a surfer was bitten by a suspected Great White shark at Shelley Beach, near Coffs Harbour. 

The man, in his thirties, was bitten on the arm around eleven, dragged to shore, CPR, chopper, dead. 

It’s the first fatal shark attack on the east coast since May, when surfer Mark Sanguinetti was killed by a fifteen-foot Great White at  Tuncurry, two hours drive south, and two months since surfer Joe Hoffman survived a hit by a ten-foot Great White at Crescent Head, a little further north of Tuncurry.

Local rez Glenn Coleman told the ABC he heard the sirens and, “We pricked our ears up straight away and we knew something had happened. It’s a heavy feeling. It’s put a heavy atmosphere over the village.”

Coleman says Shelley was crowded with locals ’cause it was Father’s Day.

What’s the takeaway, here?

After two decades of the Great White being protected, this is the new reality of surfing in Australia.

So buy and learn to use a tourniquet. Most, although certainly not all, Great White hits are a bite-and-release taste test so once the shark leaves, if you’re quick a life can be saved.

If you can get a tourniquet above the wound site, your buddy has a good chance of living.

There’s an exception here.

If the shark takes off an entire leg or arm and there’s no stump, well, even a combat medic can’t stop the bleeding.

But if there’s a stump, there’s a chance, a good chance. If you act fast.

You carrying a tourniquet in your wetsuit? Or on the beach?

Before anything, before calling anyone, get it on, tight, a couple of inches above the joint.

That’s it.

No tourniquet or it’s in the car?

Get a towel. Apply as much pressure as you can where the blood is coming out. All that matters is stopping the blood.

A catastrophic attack and your buddy is going to lose consciousness in three minutes; after five minutes the outcomes are poor.

(Click here to check out ER doctor and surfer Jon Cohen’s range of tourniquets, including one built-into a leash)

More on the Coffs attack as it comes. 

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15 Comments
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Stalin

Cunt

Gil Gunderson

Poor guy, that’s fucked. Love to his fam. So fucked

Winston

Pity the government isn’t using the same logic as they are with the Rona.

Kennypowersmullet

Got one in the car but most places we surf at I’m parked on the beach. Hopefully never have to use it

AI (for ever) .

Thoughts and respect to the family and all involved in the rescue.

As well as an tourniquet I always carry a clean nappy in my backpack. Very good at stopping bleeding .

How do you know it was a junior great white?
Has it been caught?
Or just more shit talk?

Blue

May he RIP.

A human life is always more valuable than a big fish. Get a grip people.

Stanislav Franck

It’s Beach Grit, so no cunt can be fucked, but if any of you care to look over my past comments, I’m pretty fucking clear – interfuckingvention is now needed.

Sharks in danger of extinction? Fair enough, do what you gotta so they don’t become dodos. That tine has long since passed. Cunts are everywhere now. Just look at drones on Insta or Dorsal on the App store. It’s when, not if around waters of the world where sharks aren’t fished or culledor killed.

If you’re a sharklover, good for you. Fuck off. I’m more in favour of keeping people happy, particularly those who frequent the ocean. As a reminder, go have a fucking look at a world map. Look at all that blue shit called water. There’s a lot of it, eh? You reckon it’s too much to ask to put in some kinda measure to keep sharks 1km away from land or beaches?

I’m sure they can fucken survive in the remaining squillion fucktonnes of water left to swim in. Enough is fucking enough

Blue

Common sense is not that common… A fish is a fish.

Stanislav Franck

Pretty rare isn’t it? Fucken shark attacks in Oz ain’t rare these days though, are they?

Beef & Beer

Fuckin’ sharks
You cunts !

Tom

best to delete this cunt comment and fuck right off

John Wayne

I carry one at all times now in my wettie that Jon sent me. Hope I never have to use it.

Pauly Matt War-Shore

He was only in his 20’s. RIP

Tmc

Good one fucktard. Apart from cage diving being on the other side of the continent your attempt at humour when someone has lost their life is pretty sad

Ricky Spanish

Fuck I’m tired of hearing about these attacks. Such a bummer. RIP


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