A routine fishing trip off Victoria's Surf Coast transformed into an extraordinary wildlife experience for a Geelong fisherman who found himself in close proximity to a four-metre great white shark for nearly two hours.
Calm and Curious Encounter
Kevin McLaughlin was fishing in waters near Anglesea and Torquay when the massive shark surfaced beside his vessel. Speaking on Sunrise on Thursday, McLaughlin described the shark as appearing remarkably calm and inquisitive, circling his boat for approximately two hours without displaying any signs of aggression.
“It just turned up to the boat, and we just let it hang around us for the next two hours. It was a good experience,” McLaughlin recalled. “It wasn’t actually really aggravated or anything, it was just checking us out pretty well.”
Shark Shows More Interest in Boat Than Food
During the prolonged encounter, McLaughlin attempted to offer the shark a mackerel, but the animal demonstrated little interest in the food. Instead, its attention remained focused on the boat itself.
“It actually wasn’t hungry; it was just swimming around the boat pretty well, checking us out,” he explained. “I chucked out a fish earlier, and it just completely ignored it, sank to the bottom, and was more interested in checking us out.”
Clarifying the Physical Contact
Video footage showing McLaughlin making contact with the shark has generated concern among viewers, but the fisherman insists the interaction has been misunderstood. He clarified that rather than patting the shark's nose, he was actually pushing the animal away from the vessel.
“It was potentially going to put some teeth marks in my boss’s boat. It was really docile. It looks a bit more extreme than it is,” McLaughlin said, addressing concerns about the physical contact.
Context Amidst Shark Concern
This close encounter occurs against a backdrop of heightened concern about shark incidents along Australia's east coast in recent weeks, sparking renewed debate about whether shark populations are increasing in coastal waters.
McLaughlin offered perspective based on his extensive fishing experience in the area, suggesting his unusual encounter doesn't necessarily indicate a population surge.
“We’ve been fishing out there pretty hard for at least 20 years, and this is the first time we’ve seen one off Anglesea, Torquay; that sort of Surf Coast area,” he noted. “I don’t believe there’s any real population boom down here.”
Feeding Concerns Addressed
While some have questioned whether feeding sharks could encourage them to linger in popular recreational areas, McLaughlin believes this isolated incident is unlikely to alter animal behavior patterns.
“A once-off time like this, I don’t think it’s probably really going to make a difference,” he concluded, reflecting on the broader implications of his unique experience.
