Exmouth Foil-Boarder's Harrowing Survival After Shark Attack
In a heart-stopping incident off the coast of Exmouth, Western Australia, a local electrician has shared his miraculous tale of survival after a terrifying encounter with a suspected great white shark. Dave Daniell, an avid foil-boarder, was attacked by the ocean predator while on a routine 15-kilometer run between Graveyards and Hunters beaches, about 2 kilometers offshore on Tuesday evening around 5pm.
A Sudden and Terrifying Assault
Mr. Daniell described the moment the shark struck as he was attempting to climb back onto his board after falling off while breaching a wave tip. "I fell off the board, and as I was climbing back up, the shark came flying in," he recounted. "I didn't even see where it came from, but I just caught the nose as it bit down, and it pulled the whole back of the board. I managed to get my leg out of the way as it bit down... I clung to the board as it took a bite and then tried to get back up to my feet again."
The attack unfolded rapidly, with the shark then nudging the foil mast, knocking Mr. Daniell back into the water and directly on top of the predator. He found himself mere centimeters away from the shark in the murky depths, where he could only glimpse its silhouette. "I was praying because I thought it was all done," he admitted, highlighting the sheer terror of the situation.
Miraculous Escape and Grueling Journey Back
Despite the chaos, Mr. Daniell managed to paddle his board up and get back on the foil, riding it all the way to Hunters Beach—a distance of approximately 9 kilometers from the attack site. He described this feat as a "bit of a miracle," especially given that a chunk of his board was missing from the shark's bite. "I did that 9km without falling off again," he said, explaining that he avoided any turns or risky maneuvers to prevent another fall. "I just straight lined it and didn't really try and do anything crazy."
His friend, who had been foil-boarding downwind and was unaware of the attack until seeing the bite mark later, reached Hunters Beach first. Reflecting on the potential severity, Mr. Daniell noted, "The whole thing could have been a lot worse... it probably could have cut my leg off." He emphasized the lack of emergency gear, such as tourniquets, and the logistical challenges if he had needed help, calling it a "quite a sticky situation."
Investigation and Ongoing Passion for the Water
Authorities from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) are conducting DNA testing on the board to confirm the shark species, with scientists suspecting it was a great white approximately 3 meters in size. Mr. Daniell explained, "It could be just a large whaler or a possible great white, but just the way that it was hidden, and attacked quite aggressively and hard, they're thinking more towards a white shark." He added that great whites are known for their sudden, aggressive attacks, which often prove fatal.
Remarkably, the harrowing experience hasn't deterred Mr. Daniell from returning to the water. "I've had lots of encounters and lots of attacks because I spent a lot of time in the water. I do like swimming with sharks," he said, noting his family's active lifestyle involving diving, surfing, and foiling in the area. The attack was reported around 8pm on Tuesday, following a sighting of a 3-meter great white by a member of the public earlier that day.
This incident adds to a series of recent shark-related events in Western Australia, underscoring the ongoing risks and resilience of ocean enthusiasts in the region.
