@taos_oceanadventure The most intense shark encounter I’ve ever had ? ? #taos_oceanadventure #spearfishing #shark #sharkattack #sharkweek #cobia #westernaustralia #spearfishing_worldwide #spearfishinghazards @tridentspearing @SPEAROS @GoPro ♬ Jaws – Main Theme – M.S. Art
When Tao Hoogland went diving on a sunny Friday at Shark Bay, Western Australia, he knew there was a decent chance of a shark sighting. It’s in the name of the place, after all, and as a free diving instructor, Hoogland knows his way around the ocean. But he likely wasn’t exactly prepared for an encounter quite so close.
Hoogland, who was diving with a friend, was hunting for lobster and fish when he spotted a shark. “[I noticed] a large bronze whaler shark swim directly in front of me,” he told The Mirror. “There wasn’t fear, it was more surprise, shock and our fight-or-flight survival instincts kicking in.”
His dive buddy made it clear that they should probably leave the area, given the fact that they had already had a few scary moments with sharks just a week before. His buddy had a fish on his speargun, which is likely what attracted the shark in the first place. When they surfaced, the shark made its move.
“Suddenly, the shark reappeared behind me and before I knew what was happening, it was attacking my buddy in between our legs, trying to take the fish off his speargun,” Hoogland continued. “It bit one of the fish off, then another started floating away, so I tried to grab it – but then it came straight back and took the second fish from directly in front of me. I was surprised by how aggressive and cunning the shark was, but I quickly became annoyed as it wouldn’t leave us alone.”
Hoogland, in an act of desperation, gave the shark a few kicks to the face to ward it off. Eventually, it worked, but the pair wasn’t quite ready to let their guard down.
“We knew our main priority was to stay close,” Hoogland said. “We kept eye contact while holding our fish above the water and swimming towards shore for safety, as we protected ourselves with our spears. We’ve never encountered such a funny shark that was willing to [steal from us] – usually they keep their distance, but not this one. After the encounter, we were both in shock and stood on the beach surprised that neither of us had lost a limb or was badly bitten.”
Learn more about sharks in Ocean Ramsey’s Guide to Sharks and Safety.
