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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Environment
Susan Chenery

The first rule of Bite Club? Survive an attack by an apex predator

Dave Pearson began a support group for survivors of  attacks by sharks and other animals after he was bitten by a 3 metre bull shark while surfing at Crowdy Head off the NSW coast.
Dave Pearson began a support group for survivors of attacks by sharks and other animals after he was bitten by a 3-metre bull shark while surfing at Crowdy Head off the NSW coast. Photograph: Dean Sewell/Oculi Photos/The Guardian

Paul Kenny was camping behind the dunes at Samurai beach, north of Port Stephens on the Australian east coast, when he jumped naked into the water to “just wake up”. It was freezing but he caught a good wave, got some speed up and hit something. At first he thought it was another person but there was no one else swimming. He had body surfed into the head of a 2.5-metre (8ft) bronze whaler shark and his outstretched arm was in its teeth.

And with that, Kenny met the criterion to enter the small, exclusive Bite Club.

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