White Encounter
hi guys n gals
after seeing the post of the write up in the west etc most have probably seen i thought id throw a quick report up on the day and the encounter for your
?pleasure? and just so that everyone gets the exact story! we all know how the media can wriggle words! the article in the todays west was fairly decent tho besides the fact it said we contemplated spearing it??? not once did we think that
anyways here goes
Dave had come from perth to dive with the dropping swell and clear water we expected. I had taken the saturday off annual leave for that "extra" day of fun!
Thursday we headed north approx a mile from the exact spot we had our encounter. similar depth of water and pretty average viz but we managed some good fish. Got lucky and got onto a fairly solid common trout of 76cms and 6.8kgs which is a good fish for inshore waters. We burlyed hard for dhuies and not once did it feel sharky nor did i get that feeling more divers would get when we arnt alone.
Friday i headed south - beautiful day but a north tide kept the fish quiet. viz varied from very good to pretty average. bought home some nice trout baldies and a 6kg dhu between 3 of us.
Saturday - The Day...... Now ill tell all id bought my GoPro Hero 2 for to make filming abit easier - hands free to hold a gun etc etc. If id had my contour this day it could have been a tad different. Ive got into the hang now of turning the GoPro on for every dive and id been getting some nice stuff...
We left the ramp and headed north.. Magic condition and arrived at some hour i cant exactly remember around 9ish?? Not wanting to hit our spots from thursday we headed further north to sound ground. approx 7-800m off the beach and in 11m of water we stumbled upon some interesting looking stuff.
Dave kitted up and did a quick jump in to suss the spot hanging off the back. Looked good so we set the pick
Viz was magic - i est 12-15m horizontally in the early morning sun? The bottom was alive with fish and it felt so right , so good and i thought we where going to be in for a cracker....
Not 2mins in and a large trout stared up at richo and i so we decided to film the dive and take the shot. Richo and i breathed up and dropped. It was a good fish - maybe 65-70cm and then a rather large baldie mooched in. Then a dhuie! Richo held back on the shot to see if something else would rock up. We surfaced and just layzed for few moments. Another massive baldie mooched in... Then another dhu - not massive but i wanted to film it and check out the cave from which it had come.
I informed richo of my doings and commenced my breathup as i turned on my camera. Richo is facing north west and im opposite ina trance like state. focusing on the bottom - relaxed... Breath in , Breath out.
Drawing my final breath and milliseconds from decent i heard a shrill scream of my name. Something ill never forget and immediately i knew it wasnt a "Normal" bronzie or tiger that had mooched in. Everything from here is nuts.
I spun on a dime to see a site ill NEVER EVER forget as long as i live. A Head over a metre across , Massive black left eye , that frown looking jaw - It was fucking MASSIVE! I swung my 120 riffe euro around and the shark was that close ive got marks where the sharks skin rubbed varnish off half way along. I est it was 1-1.5m from my face.
Massive surface disturbance and the shark went south. Immediately i swum towards richo as the shark turned on its own length and came at richo. This is where the shark appeared to get aggitated and chucked her pecks down. It glided under richo as you see in the wests pic - came up to guns lenght and then turned and came straight at me again. Another poke for her trouble and she seemed to settle a little and glided out to maybe 6-7m distance. It seemed she had cruised in to suss us out. When we spotted her our heart rates would have sky rocketed accordingly and this is why i think she behaved abit more erratic at those moments.
Now side by side and headed towards the boat she glided to our east. I think she knew we where retreating here and as we approached the boat she turned and came straight at us again...... My god the girth was unreal!
She cut us off and this is where i gave her a cracking smack just infront of the gills. She didnt like this and took off to the edge of viz.
Richo was in like a shot while i stayed put and wasnt taking my eye off or turning my back on it til she was out of view....
Handing richo my gun ive never climbed in fully kitted fins and all so quick!
That was it - we never saw her again!
The day my perspective on diving and the things that live in the water changed forever!
It wont change me going diving and i am thankful that i can sit here and type this report!
The footage i cant release until a later date due media this n that....
Ive just watched GWNs quick rap and i want to clarify that i DID contact fisheries Geraldton and they told me i had to contact CALM and shark watch. The lady there took my number and was going to contact them immediately and i was to expect a phone call very soon....
im still waiting!
Hope you all enjoy the footage!
Poddy
Fear The Spear............!
Ben Derecki
Posts: 1926
Date Joined: 10/10/07
"as we approached the boat
"as we approached the boat she turned and came straight at us again...... My god the girth was unreal!"
I was right there with you mate.
Thanks for sharing, awesome read.
grayzeee
Posts: 2283
Date Joined: 09/07/09
Good God PoddyWhat a
Good God Poddy
What a story.
This is your 15 minutes of fame right here. Thank f^ck your alive to tell it.
You'll get some mileage out of it for sure
If I spent half as long fishing , as I do reading this bloody forum , I'd be twice the fisherman I am.
aalfred
Posts: 669
Date Joined: 13/06/09
That must have been an
That must have been an experiance like no other!!
beau
Posts: 4104
Date Joined: 24/01/10
Just saw the news article
Just saw the news article Poddy, WHOLEY SH!T!!! What amazing footage my heart is racing!
Ps. The dive housing looks the goods! :P
trymyluck
Posts: 908
Date Joined: 06/05/12
Did you think about selling
Did you think about selling those photos Poddy ?... one of the media outlets would pay for them I would have thought ?? Im just interested thats all.
PilbaraBrad
Posts: 3628
Date Joined: 16/05/07
Nathan, if it was ever going
Nathan, if it was ever going to happen to anyone brother it was always going to be you
so when is david letterman flying you over to the states, oprah perhaps?
tom cruise will no doubt be the actor in the movie, or perhaps brad pit for you eh?
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15648
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Vid
Missed it on the news, doh. Saw it front page of the west, hope you bought it today mate, one for the kids! Glad your still here to tell the story, nexxxxxxt minuuuut
Site Admin - Just ask if you need assistance
Fossil
Posts: 215
Date Joined: 10/06/12
"Holy Shit" I think that
"Holy Shit" I think that about summed it up right there.
Go to Yahoo Adam, the footage is there
pricey10
Posts: 486
Date Joined: 07/01/12
Great story! good to see you
Great story! good to see you made it out alive. you will be telling that story for years to come!
Karratha. WA
hunterdive
Posts: 363
Date Joined: 24/02/09
Great read bro, I was
Great read bro, I was nervous reading it. Amazing experience
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
"Holy c*nt"
Classic Poddy!
Great footage and an awesome experience. Glad it all worked out as it did.
Top effort lads.
Cheers Pete
Bruce
Posts: 527
Date Joined: 11/04/12
Mate lucky you turned around
Mate lucky you turned around when you did! I saw the report on the news and when one of you got it the boat it was a big "YEEEEEEEOOOOOOWWWWWWW".
chrisp
Posts: 1217
Date Joined: 24/05/08
Just saw the footage on
Just saw the footage on channel 7.Just outrageous. You'll never beat that adrenaline rush again..ever. My heart rate was up just watching it!
meersy
Posts: 278
Date Joined: 20/04/10
I was shitting me self
I was shitting me self just watching the news:0
brenz
Posts: 2182
Date Joined: 15/06/06
has any one got a link to the
has any one got a link to the vid?
poddyfish
Posts: 986
Date Joined: 01/05/07
spot on
most amazing adrenaline rush ever! nah pete it was only a shit lol not a c**T lol
beau the new housing is stella mate takes some amazingly clear footage aye - so glad i splashed out got a gopro also
brad - whilst always having the thought that it one day may happen , i was of the perception that surely not , only happens to others! wrongggg lol ,,,, dunno about opera and letterman tho mate! hahahaha
not much of the footage was edited which is good - few little bits n pieces
feel sorry for richo swimming with knife in hand tho! weapon?? yeh ummm thats gonna do a whole lot of hurt on that thing....
just for clarification also - fisheries think it was most likely a white??? i know it looks abit wobbegongish tho hey?
oh and also no shark shields where being worn for those who asked before!
adzy it was most deffinently a NECCCCCCK FUUUUU***ING MINIIIIIIIIT moment!
Fear The Spear............!
PilbaraBrad
Posts: 3628
Date Joined: 16/05/07
hey mate, just saw the ad
hey mate, just saw the ad over here. It is going to be broadcast around the rest of the country tomorrow night on chanel 7
your going to be a star for real, hope you got some coin for the footage
Jody
Posts: 1578
Date Joined: 19/04/07
Respect!!
Respect!!
Balls of steel Poddy.
The story just capped of those incredible pics
TWiZTED
Just1morecast
Posts: 917
Date Joined: 04/12/09
Great story man, Glad your
Great story man, Glad your still with us..Did bloody well to keep composed in such an intense spur of the moment
Forever learning with fishing
Rick
Posts: 1113
Date Joined: 22/12/06
close enough
mate that was close enough just watching the video,will be a story told for years to come
PGFC Member
Black Pearl
Posts: 59
Date Joined: 19/06/10
Some awesome footage Poddy!
That was UNREAL!!!! Great report and glad everyone ended up safe!
Got to get out there!
ricey
Posts: 738
Date Joined: 24/12/09
here is the link
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/14178047/divers-close-call-with-a-great-white/
Serious question - have you actually considered making different choices in life after such a dangerous encounter?
I would be interested to know.
Wise man says - first take the plank out of your own eye before trying to take the speck out of somebody else's.
poddyfish
Posts: 986
Date Joined: 01/05/07
ricey
as in : changing my hobbies etc ricey??
not at all mate - weather looks good hope the viz is clear chuck the gopro back on charge and headed out saturday mate!
it does make me more aware i suppose , the ease of which she glided in without either of us knowing for 20-25secs just shows.
im a very safe diver always in buddys etc but like alot of ppl i have occasionally been caught out following a ledge or fish and ended up some distance from my dive buddys etc.... i will never EVER leave the side of the person i spear with again - 4 eyes are better then 2 and i dont care what anyone says ive got nothing to prove or be a hero going off solo etc! thats just stupidity imo
Fear The Spear............!
ricey
Posts: 738
Date Joined: 24/12/09
not hobbies - deeper things
like travel the world, tell people around you you love them, go to church etc...
I would think it would make me reflect on everything. good on you for not giving up on diving and the ocean.
Wise man says - first take the plank out of your own eye before trying to take the speck out of somebody else's.
Torzar
Posts: 153
Date Joined: 24/04/12
Wicked report, sounds like
Wicked report, sounds like quite the experience glad to hear it hasn't changed you love for diving !
Wes F
Posts: 1067
Date Joined: 07/01/12
Two very lucky chaps
Good to hear your not put off diving, be safe and keep the camera rolling.
Old fishermen never die they just smell that way.
crasny1
Posts: 7003
Date Joined: 16/10/08
F£%&^$£"*(&%&k
Gulp!
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
blitzed
Posts: 196
Date Joined: 03/02/11
Cleaned the ole heart valves
Cleaned the ole heart valves up abit, congratulations job well done, take care.
GlennO87
Posts: 182
Date Joined: 29/01/11
Wow. I sort of wish i was in
Wow. I sort of wish i was in your shoes. Sort of dont. They amaze me and im gonna do a cage dive or something before i die. I need to see these things. I cant find the footage anywhere on the net im trying to show a mate....Glad your ok
I love fishing. It`s escaping reality for a few hours for me!
allrounder
Posts: 1853
Date Joined: 10/11/08
Go to Yahoo
it has a section on the situation.In the bottom corner of the box it says video click on that and away you go. If i see one again and its in the "right mood" i will get in for a look and some pics for sure.I will be right next to my dive ladder though.
Like you said Poddy if she wanted either of you see would have taken you well before you knew she was there.Awsome experience and one very few people in perth will ever get.Life is to short not to do things you enjoy. I have had two funerals in the last week and a freind of my daughter is in a bad way in PMH so it happens even if you are not in the water.More folks die world wide from getting hit in the head by falling coconuts than shark attacks but people still holiday in the tropics and sip coctails under coconut palms dont they?
Great story Poddy
So tell me have you got your info from years on the water or hours on the internet?
allrounder
Posts: 1853
Date Joined: 10/11/08
Ha ha
They have now moved it to the middle of the news page and put an ad for crackers in front of it and a ad for nissan after it.I guess they had to re coup the thousands they paid you for it hey Poddy.lol.
So tell me have you got your info from years on the water or hours on the internet?
Seaquest
Posts: 1131
Date Joined: 22/10/09
What a story to tell the
What a story to tell the grand kids and the vid to back it up as well. Glad your both safe.
Lamby
Posts: 3145
Date Joined: 04/08/09
Pharrrrrrrk, nek minit
Pharrrrrrrk, nek minit alright! That is surreal man, get ready for the media ride Pod this will go nuts & rightly so!
kaney68
Posts: 401
Date Joined: 29/07/08
One word - AWESOME !
Great read and footage.
Balls of steel !!!
Ash88
Posts: 103
Date Joined: 17/04/12
Pod for the best fishing tale
Pod for the best fishing tale of the year i think lol thats nuts and like someone commented I myself would like to go on a cage dive with these awsome creatures. I have a some what morbid fasination and great respect for gw's lol great read better to read it from the person than from a news paper stay safe.
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
great footage mate.... geez
great footage mate....
geez those things can turn on a dime! so agile for such a big unit!
Cardinal
Posts: 364
Date Joined: 28/05/12
top read! I must say you guys
top read! I must say you guys handled it beautifully!
Sponsored by Atomic HardZ Lures
madfisher
Posts: 206
Date Joined: 10/10/07
Mate I listen to Triple M in
Mate I listen to Triple M in Melbourne at work and you're all over the radio today, well done you've got a lot of exposure.
carnarvonite
Posts: 8672
Date Joined: 24/07/07
News
Was watching the news and saw it and right at the end there was a face I recognise, thats Poddyfish and I bet the back of his wetty is full of nuggets and not the golden type.
Congrats on a magic bit of footage.
Garrett
Posts: 67
Date Joined: 02/08/11
Cracking story.
As someone who works in the "wriggle words" media, I hope you got something decent out of GWN/7 for that vision :)
It will be replayed again and again and you guys will probably get a call every time there's another encounter or attack in the future, which hopefully won't happen for a long long time.
Don't think too many of us would have handled that situation as well as you guys did.
Zoggy84
Posts: 234
Date Joined: 24/06/12
Ur still the same old Crazy
Ur still the same old Crazy Poody from Hedland hahaaOnly with Bigger balls!!!
The name is Zoe.
If any1 but the wife asks im fishing, if she asks im at work.
Rob H
Posts: 5806
Date Joined: 18/01/12
epic
mate Im in NZ at the moment and heard about it-you would have been out front of my house somewhere I reckon (drummonds area).
But I cant find it on yahoo yet
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
bitten
Posts: 803
Date Joined: 07/04/10
has it put u off diving
has it put u off diving mate?
im swinging off on tuesday how about yourself??
Rod P
Posts: 725
Date Joined: 20/05/08
The hole episode has been
The hole episode has been handled like a true pro. From the water to retelling of the story to the going diving a few days later.
Huge respect mate.
Dreamtime
Posts: 658
Date Joined: 21/09/09
soooo jealous
man im sooo jealous. only ever seen tigers while free diving but i hope my time comes. just hope its in as good mood as yours was. props mate.
Gadsy
Posts: 1467
Date Joined: 01/05/10
Hmmm
makes me think twice about going yak fishing now Poddy
Brock O
Posts: 3239
Date Joined: 11/01/08
Unreal Poddy
I was sitting in the waiting room 6am ready for surgury, looked down and said i know that face. What a story, that thing looks massive!!.
i dont know how you kept your calm but that may have been the difference. "No more going off solo" you can say that again!!
"When your times up!! your times up!!" You must have more fish hunt mate.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18051
Date Joined: 11/03/08
good to see it wont stop you
good to see it wont stop you from doing what you love to do.i read the article and just couldnt imagine the thoughts that would have been going through your mind. always pays to swim with a buddy.could have been different if you were alone out there
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
Shortylook
Posts: 221
Date Joined: 07/05/11
Wow mate, just wow,awesome
Wow mate, just wow,awesome footage,gave me chicken skin!
poddyfish
Posts: 986
Date Joined: 01/05/07
Cheers guys
Thanks to all for the masses of comments and positive feedback. I was very worried once it had gone
Viral that it would turn into abit of a messy situation and all but so far not bad. Pretty disappointed with the way
Richo and I where handled by the media tho. Hardly got a cent and the way the way it's doing the rounds
Id think they would be enjoying the attention so to say. At the same time neither of us done this for the money
But now we can't do much with own material until they say so! And they had the cheek to ask me for footage straight
Up when or if I get more! GGF I rekon! Lol
Thanks heaps again guys , good to know my ugly mug is
Recognised abit. Don't be shy to call thru Gero for a dive or a beer
Sometime!
Fear The Spear............!
sea-kem
Posts: 15012
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Hey Poddy where can I veiw
Hey Poddy where can I veiw the images? Been searching but can't find them.
Love the West!
Brock O
Posts: 3239
Date Joined: 11/01/08
Screw em poddy
Back in the day I used do some silly stuff, long story shorty I was assaulted in custody by police officer in fre o lock up. This was not long after the defferidge case (broken jaw) channel seven offered to pay my legal fees, but I refused to do the interview, the first lawyer I rang offered to work for free.
Any way I know this is a different story but I would have hit for 5 big ones straight up,, did you do a story . I was in hospital. Even now there is no reason you cant upload to the net, a different channel may still want a follow up story, 60 minutes, may be.!!
poddyfish
Posts: 986
Date Joined: 01/05/07
dumb
ive got no idea what i can and cannot do brock! the media ppl who contacted us first and offered us the small sum havnt said boo since they aired it.... pretty dumb when it comes to anything to do with that kinda stuff so yeh unsure on my can cants dos n donts unfortunently...
for all who didnt see the footage im pretty sure its on noobtube i mean Youtube under something like Geraldton Great White...
cheers guys
Fear The Spear............!
snappermiles
Posts: 2100
Date Joined: 05/11/10
its been aired so you should be able to do what you like now!
but for everyone else! heres the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YVp3U_5mqI
ALL FISHERMEN ARE LIARS EXCEPT YOU AND ME! AND IM NOT SO SURE ABOUT YOU!
DavidBaricevic
Posts: 122
Date Joined: 30/10/10
Awesome report mate one to
Awesome report mate one to tell the grandkids....
ca11um
Posts: 335
Date Joined: 25/12/11
Very lucky Nathan!!! unreal!!
Very lucky Nathan!!! unreal!! i remember getting back from the abrolhos on sunday and seeing you there, everybody looked pretty shocked :P
Rod P
Posts: 725
Date Joined: 20/05/08
Hey Poddy is it right that i
Hey Poddy is it right that i read that Fisheries never got back to you? Im curous as to how they handled it all. What about water police as im told by fisheries that they don't handle shark reports at all. Thats water ploice's job?
Rod
poddyfish
Posts: 986
Date Joined: 01/05/07
Rob
That's exactly right. I reported our sighting to fisheries who told me that DEC & the water police needed to be contacted. They took all my contact details and the info about the shark
And where passing it onto the relevant authority's. I never heard back from anyone and then fisheries come out in the paper accusing me of not reporting it! Wankers
Fear The Spear............!