A Not-So Typical Day At The Bluff

Two days ago Red Bluff had its first shark attack. Its a shock to all of us. We all know there are lots of sharks around, we see them every time we dive and the surfers even sometimes land almost on top of them when they surf, but never has one attacked a surfer or diver in the immediate area.

It happened right after Abe had gotten back from a surf. A 34 year old man that we had just gone up to Gnaraloo Bay a week before to meet and have drinks with, dropped into a wave and when he came off his board below the white wash of the wave, the shark attacked him. There are a few stories going around, so the full true story has yet to come out. But it sounds like the shark bite him in the abdomen and when he tried to fight the shark off, the shark mangled his arm as well. There were many surfers in the water at the time and only saw the large pool of blood that surfaced. He was quickly swam to shore and bandaged up.  Then driven on the emergency mining road into town where the ambulance met him to take him into Carnarvon, where he was then flown to Perth. He is alive, but most likely suffered severe wounds which may limit his abilities with his arm. The Fisheries closed the beach at Red Bluff the next morning and made the people who still dared to go in the water get out. Its a heavy feeling to have this happen in front of you, in the water that you swim in almost everyday. But the statistics for getting attacked by a shark and getting in a car accident are still far between. If we didn’t take risks we wouldn’t be living life to the fullest.  Abe and I have a passion for the ocean and will continue to dive and surf for our last week and half at the Bluff, with added caution and appreciation for its greatness and power.