Nine-year-old surfer Bowie Daly survived a shark attack on Thursday at Tathra Beach on the south coast of New South Wales. Despite a destroyed surfboard, the boy escaped with only a scratch and a bruise.
Seconds of fear in the water
At around 4:30 p.m., Bowie was out on his surfboard when he suddenly felt a tug at the back end.
"I held on to the board, then I was pulled underwater for a moment. When I came back up, I saw a huge back – and I realized it was a shark. That’s when I started screaming for help," the nine-year-old told ABC.
The shark let go of the board, and other surfers – including Bowie’s father – helped him safely back to shore. Bowie ended up with only a small tear in his wetsuit, a scratch, and a bruise.
Surfboard completely destroyed
While Bowie was left almost uninjured, his surfboard did not survive the attack. "The shark left a huge bite and tore off the fin completely. My board is in pieces, totally broken," Bowie said.
The incident is unusual for the region. Andrew Johnson, president of the Tathra Surf Life Saving Club, explained that shark sightings are normally not reported in this area.
"We are not known for sharks, but of course they are always in the ocean. Every surfer knows that and accepts it."
Bowie doesn’t want to let the shock get him down – thanks to a new board he received as a gift from former pro surfer Kai Otten, he plans to get back in the water in a few weeks.
