"The board exploded, one half went that way, the other half went that way, there was just whitewash and debris everywhere."
The human mind sure does move in some mysterious ways, worshipping certain animals, slaughtering others.
At around seven thirts this morn, Cabarita surfer Brad Ross, surfing his B-grade local point in crystal-clear waist-deep water on a dreamy later winter’s morn, was hit by what was initially thought to be a twelve-foot Great White although this has been subsequently upgraded to a fifteen-footer.
A surf cam and a drone captured the almost-final moments of the surfer as the Great White, a protected species in Australia since 1999, turned the tranquil tableaux into a scene out of the fabled Jaws series. Kelly Slater was quick to lend his perspective to the event writing on Instagram, “Lucky to be alive.”
According to witnesses interviewed by the state broadcaster, “The man was sitting on his board and the shark literally bit the board behind his butt.
“The board just popped, like it exploded, and it flew up in the air and by this time there was a man up on the rocks going, ‘Oi, come in.’
“The board exploded, one half went that way, the other half went that way, there was just whitewash and debris everywhere.”
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Now, it can be revealed that a little over two hours after Ross was nearly sent to the heavens, the Department of Primary Industries caught and released a fifteen-foot Great White, caught on one of its smart drumlines, nearby.
DPI advise 5M White shark caught and released from SMART drumline at Norries headland, CABARITA BEACH at 09:52 am on 18 Aug 2025.
— SharkSmart (@NSWSharkSmart) August 18, 2025
Now, I dunno about you, but the DPI would’ve known about the attack, there ain’t that many fifteen-foot Great Whites around, although clearly the numbers of G Dubs are pretty robust, maybe not such a fine idea to cut it loose?
Or no, we are but visitors to the Great White’s kingdom?