Experienced surfer recounts 1st shark encounter in Hawaii: 'I was just in shock'
HONOLULU - An experienced surfer in Hawaii is detailing his first encounter with a shark despite his decades of experience in the water.
Matthew White had never encountered the animal in his 30 years of surfing until recently, when he was enjoying the sport near Kaimana Beach.
"I was like halfway on the board trying to hold on, and it just kept shaking the board," White told KHON. "So I fell off the board, and then I was laying on the side of the shark and I could see its dorsal fin right by me."
The surfer said he wanted to first kick and punch the shark, but instead, he kneed the shark to get as far away as he could.
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"I shoved it as hard as I could with my feet, and it swam off, and I jumped on my board and I started paddling in as fast as I could," he continued.
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Authorities confirmed that the shark was an eight to ten-foot aggressive tiger shark. It bit White's surfboard at Old Man’s surf break.
Fortunately, White was able to walk away.
"I was looking at my leg, looking for blood. I just couldn’t believe that I didn’t get bit. I was just in shock and disbelief that I didn’t get injured," he explained.
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However, he did receive a few scratches.
"Shark skin is like sandpaper, so I got minor scratches on my knee. I was terrified. It totally took me by surprise," he added.
According to KHON, shortly after the incident, authorities sent out a shark warning.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.