A surfing champion has warned beachgoers to keep an eye out for sharks after a close call with a “monster” great white shark.
Former surf champ Russell Specht told how his lifeguard nephew Logan had a "really close call" with the shark while surfing off Frenchman's Beach on Australia’s Gold Coast.
In an Instagram post, Russell said: “He had to put the board between him and a big white … he thought it was over. I had to post something as too many tourists just have no idea”.
He said that tourists need to be aware of the danger of shark attack while thousands of humpback whales congregate off Australia’s east coast.
So many crew locals and tourists have no idea of the [amount of] whites following the whales and the mullet schools up and down [the] coast this time of year.”
Russell himself spotted an ominous-looking shark prowling the waters of Frenchman’s Beach on Saturday,
Speaking to local news channel 4BC Radio Russell added that there are only minimal safety precautions in place in the area.
“There’s no netting on the island,” he said.“Cylinder Beach is probably the safest one to swim at.”
In April, an Australian family told how they were stalked for an hour by a great white that tried to bite a chunk out of their boat
In a video of the incident, the huge ocean predator is thrashing in the water and trying to attack the motor.
Terrified screams are heard as David Tuckfield, his wife Kunya, and their 14-year-old son Shelby watch the shark chomp on their boat.