UK NEWS

SURFER SHARES WAVE WITH KILLER SHARK

Fergal Smith rides the wave

Saturday October 4,2008

By Dan Parkinson

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(2)

This holidaymaker is happily enjoying a day’s surfing, unaware he is sharing his wave with a great white shark.

Fergal Smith, 21, was two miles off the coast of Perth in Western Australia when he caught a monster wave but failed to spot the real sea monster lurking inside it.

Fergal, of County Mayo, Ireland, only realised he was inches from the shark when photographer Phil Gallagher showed him the photo.

Shark experts have examined the amazing picture and say the beast has the distinctive eyes and white belly of a great white. Phil, 29, of Perth, said: “It was a very scary situation. I saw something in the water which disappeared under the curl of the massive wave.

“I thought it was a dolphin until I looked at my camera. It was a great white. I couldn’t believe it.

“They are common out here but I have never seen one that close to a surfer before. If he had fallen off or something had happened it would have been a long time before we could get medical attention.”

Surfer Fergal and his friends used jet skis to ride two miles off the coast to catch some of the world’s biggest waves.

Deep sea fisherman and shark expert Zyg Gregorek, 65, of Halwill, Devon, said the shark, one of the sea’s deadliest creatures, could do a lot of damage. Zyg, who has caught 10 great whites, said: “You can tell by the characteristic eyes, mouth and the give-away white belly that it’s a great white.

“It is a small to medium sized one, probably about 500lb, but it could still do a lot of damage. I wouldn’t want to be in the situation that lad got himself into.”

I thought it was a dolphin until I looked at my camera

Phil Gallagher

CYDGE23972 - GIVE IT TIME

04.10.08, 2:43pm

Let it get it's fin under the table after all it has only just been brought back into the government.

Fergal Smith my foot!! you can't fool me Gordy - OR HIM!

• Posted by: G0LDENARR0W • Report Comment

SURFER WITH GREAT WHITE..

04.10.08, 11:27am

It would appear that the shark is interested because of swimming alongside the surfer, but whether he would have gobbled him up if he fell off? Good story though Eh?

• Posted by: Cydge23972 • Report Comment