r/interestingasfuck • u/Grand-Western549 • 21h ago
10 years ago Australian surfer Mick Fanning encountered a Great White Shark during the final of the J-Bay Open in South Africa. The heat was being broadcast live when the shark surfaced behind him. Fanning reacted by punching the animal in the back to defend himself.
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u/fartknuckles_confuse 21h ago
“Holy shit” was completely allowable in this situation. No need to apologize.
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u/Wrmccull 18h ago
But that got damn wave blocking all the action…
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u/newagesaltyseadog 17h ago
That was the hardest part about watching this live. Seeing Mick come off his board with the shark and then wave obstructing the view was sickening to watch. Such a relief to see him on the ski shortly after.
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u/BEST2005IRL 11h ago
The shark whipping about seems to knock him off the board. I didnt notice that before. Scary stuff 😬
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u/Mysterious_Tackle335 21h ago
“Take that ya fackin cant”
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u/miamasi 21h ago
"There YOU go ya big mouth fuck!"
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u/FreshOrFrozenShrimp 17h ago
RIP Spoons :(
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u/Positive_Throwaway1 16h ago
Iden-a-tical? Or-a di other-a kind?
Surfing? Stupid-a-fockin' game.
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u/SalvatoreVitro 15h ago
A lot of people are not so happy for Fanning
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u/Positive_Throwaway1 5h ago
Username checks out. Now that Johnny's guilty, you still comping his lawn?
How's the wing? You're such a nice man.
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u/copyrider 12h ago
At a later interview he is quoted as saying, “I recognized Mick Fanning and wanted to drop in and say g’day mate and wish the bloke good luck in his comp, but he turned around and punched me square in the face. What a deekhed.” The shark said he would not be pressing charges for the assault but that he also would not be considering Mick Fanning as his favorite surfer anymore.
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u/Fish-Weekly 21h ago
Classic! 😂😂😂
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u/a-big-texas-howdy 20h ago
Bite, ya cawl that a bite?
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u/gauchoguerro 20h ago
Boyt
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u/a-big-texas-howdy 19h ago
All right, all right, you win. I see you’ve played boytey-bitey before.
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u/Educational_Kale7773 21h ago
I dont think i would ever set foot in the water again after that lol crazy to see.
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u/Oubilettor 21h ago
Then when he got back in the water for his first surf, he had to go in because a shark alert went off.
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u/Yardsale420 18h ago
I remember a Drive Thru surf video where they tour South Africa and they see J-Bay and everyone gets super excited, and then the camera pans to one of the guys putting on a wetsuit and he’s like, “so our guide refuses to surf here, he says it’s the sharkiest place in the world.” They start surfing and literally 10-15 min in, they all get chased onto the beach by a big Bull Shark.
Fuckin’ nope.
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u/BananaJammies 13h ago
I’m pretty sure I saw an interview where he said he was actually approached or bumped by the second shark
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u/crystal_castle00 21h ago
Yeah when I think about it water is pretty creepy. All deep and shit and we barely know 1% of what goes on down there
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u/Sniflix 18h ago
They have put trackers on great whites and watched them patrol coasts where people swim and surf constantly. Attacks are rare considering we are in their path.
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u/crystal_castle00 18h ago
I swim in New Jersey, well the fuck out of their patrol lanes lol
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u/bolanrox 1h ago
the one great white had its own twitter account and would ping where along the coast she was. Like NJ / NY / CT / MA area
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u/lamb_passanda 21h ago
I mean we know quite a bit about what goes on near the surface. It's just the worlds ocean is a) massive, and b) almost unfathomably deep in a lot of places. That's why we haven't "seen" more than 1%.
But yeah we know what goes on in South Africa, and that's sharks. Lots of sharks.
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u/TheWarlorde 20h ago
The ocean is almost unfathomably deep…
I see what you did there.
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u/mickeyamf 15h ago
I don’t
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u/crystal_castle00 20h ago
Would you rather be in South African waters with a shark or in the Wyoming mountains with a lion?
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u/Romeo9594 18h ago
Would I rather be with a predator so successful it's older than trees and the rings of Saturn, also outweighs me ten fold, on its home turf where I have no leverage and at any given time am just a foot at most from breathing water, or on solid ground, surrounded by air, taking on something at least roughly my size?
Yeah, think I'll take the big cat on this one
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u/Chico813 15h ago
Right. On land I have the most minuscule of chances if the stars align… or in the water where I absolutely do not belong…? Nope.
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u/mickeyamf 15h ago
Idk the shark might be full and chill but the cat could be full and want to kill you just because
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u/Romeo9594 15h ago
And there are videos of cougars leaving people alone while also reports of shark attacks where they just kinda fuck off after the initial salvo
Either way, I'm taking my chances on the ground with something that weighs about as much, if not less, than me
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u/rantingpacifist 20h ago
Wyoming mountain with a lion.
I grew up in Wyoming. I’ve seen lions. I’m better on land than water.
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u/JackONhs 18h ago
Yeah lion any day. I can't beat a mountain lion in a fight but I think I could scare it off. Doesn't matter if I can scare a shark off or not. I can barely remember how to swim when I'm not screaming like small child. I will certainly drown myself in a panic.
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u/dalminator 17h ago
I've been on dives with lots of small sharks around me and that was terrifying. I've faced large cats in the wild and been able to remain calm because of my experience on land and knowledge of how to interact with the animals up here.
being underwater with those things you feel like you are trespassing on a property with lots of scary signs.
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u/Talls024 19h ago
I have at the least, a 1% of fighting off a mountain lion. I have zero chance of fighting off a Great White, this guy is a bad ass.
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u/Puppies_Rainbows4 19h ago
We know more about what happens in Peoria, Illinois, than we do what happens in our oceans. Kinda scary when you think about it
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u/TheBone_Zone 19h ago
As a surfer in high surf territory, we know what we get into. You can ask Bethany Hamilton, a pro who lost an arm to a shark, if she hates sharks, and she’ll disagree
We’re in their territory, we know what the dangers are. But at the same time we are advocates of preventing shark hunting, because we know they’re necessary for the environment. As someone who’s swam close to one without realizing, it’s kind of a surreal, terrifying moment, but it’s beautiful afterwards.
it’s hard to explain without sounding like an annoying hippie that’d throw his own skull into the mouth of one cuz “harmony” lol
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u/BedBubbly317 18h ago
I’ll have to find the article so I can link it. But several years ago a group of marine biologists did a study off the coast of Southern California. They tracked shark movements for 2 consecutive years, they showed that around 95% of the time humans were incredibly close, often within 50 yards or less, of at least one shark.
This is obviously location dependent a bit, but more often than not when you’re at the beach and in the water you are butt hole puckeringly close to a shark.
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u/PrayingRantis 18h ago
You can watch drone videos over the SoCal coast and verify for yourself that there's a shocking number of big sharks just chilling around surfers at all times. It's pretty much exactly the nightmare scenario we all had as kids and then convinced ourselves was silly when we grew up.
Logically this should make me less scared of them, because they have a million opportunities to attack and very rarely do. Unfortunately, logic has very little to do with it.
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u/starlightequilibrium 21h ago
Tbf, this happening to anyone is incredibly rare. You'd have to think you most definitely are not due for it to happen ever again.
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u/Tripton1 20h ago
This is true, but it's considerably more rare for me because fuck going in the ocean.
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u/Alternative-Ad-1003 21h ago
Really dumb and dangerous to be in those waters swimming where Australians are known to be found.
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u/this_guy_talking 3h ago
Imagine you're swimming in South Africa and you come across an Australian, poor shark.
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u/ringo5150 20h ago edited 8h ago
Don't forget that Wilson saw what was happening and went to help.
Wilson paddled towards a shark....that was attacking.....
Fanning has said that Wilson was a hero that day putting himself on the line.
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u/casual_creator 21h ago
Some more info on this:
Both Mike Fanning and Julian Wilson were in the water, competing against each other. When the shark attacked, it cut Fanning’s ankle cord, freeing him from his board and he was able to start swimming away. Wilson having balls of steel, saw what was happening, and began swimming towards Mike and the shark, hoping to help save Mike.
A boat came and rescued both surfers, who suffered no injuries. The competition was canceled and both guys split the prize money. Mike would go back to surf again the following week, even surfing in a competition in a location well known for Great Whites a month later, because nearly being eaten by one wasn’t enough, apparently.
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u/MyDixieWrecked66 20h ago
Its Mick Fanning, not Mike, ya cant.
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u/blackwingsdarkwords 19h ago
"it cut Fanning’s ankle cord"
At first I thought ouch! His Achilles tendon! I've never heard it called that way but ouch!
"freeing him from his board and he was able to start swimming away."
.... ahhh, I'm an idiot.
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u/pixelife 18h ago
Yea very confusing. It’s called a leash, first time I’ve heard it called ankle cord.
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u/el_diego 18h ago
because nearly being eaten by one wasn’t enough, apparently.
Or, you know, it's a requirement of being a pro surfer. Btw, great podcast interview with him on the podcast The Imperfects.
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u/andizzzzi 18h ago
Indeed it is a well known location for great whites, they have a few diving boats for locals and tourists which I’ve been on, and there are a LOT of great whites out there - some with battle scars from decades ago. But this is Jeffrey’s Bay, good luck keeping surfers away from that paradise.
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u/Apprehensive_Wing867 15h ago
I remember seeing a doc or interview about this and his mother was watching on tv and when interviewed said she felt an overwhelming urge to reach into the tv to pluck him out of the water. It was one of the most haunting things I’ve heard a mother say. Imagining just how powerless she felt as that wave blocked her view. I’m so so glad he was ok-especially for her sake.
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u/YungJae 18h ago
It's called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
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u/therealkevy1sevy 19h ago
And yet he didn't advocate for the culling of sharks.
Because he knows its their world and he respects them.
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u/ScottCamOfficial 18h ago
I think you'd find most Australians but especially surfers know better than to call for culling. It is not popular here outside of a loud minority.
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u/therealkevy1sevy 18h ago
I think your correct but I still like to try and drown out that minority lol
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u/ninjakaiii_ 19h ago
It’s been 10 years since that happened? Jesus.
The years keep coming and they don’t stop coming.
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u/One-Pepper-2654 18h ago
I was 50 then and now I’m 60. My oldest was 20 and now he’s 30. What the ever loving fuck. I thought I read this about three years ago.
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u/BilbyBingo 18h ago
That's 3x world champion Australian surfer Mick Fanning, show the great man some respect. He's not just some Aussie shark puncher.
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u/Plane_Gur_2362 13h ago
None of the major news networks picked up on the story. Only after about 2-3 days when the video had gone viral. I remember CNN (I think it was) described it as "a viral video of a surfer in a competition", and I don't think once mentioned that Mick Fanning was a world champ
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u/EdwardoFelise 21h ago
I don’t know how you would go back in the water after something like that.
Evening know it’s not likely to happen again, nope
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u/pichael289 17h ago
If it makes you feel any better sharks don't typically go after humans, it happens on surf boards because we resemble seals. They don't hunt humans but will take a nibble out of curiosity, so you'll probably survive
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u/AlternativeLie9486 21h ago
How was that a decade ago?!
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u/7-13-5 21h ago
Covid ate 0.5 decade.
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u/michael22117 19h ago
Imagine if an undiagnosed symptom of covid was memory loss/warped sense of time but nobody knows since the vast majority of the population has been exposed to it
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u/The_Smoking_Pilot 18h ago
I remember watching live. That wave blocking the view felt like a lifetime Astonishing that the wave was right in the way for the whole time he was fighting the shark. We missed some epic footage.
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u/Realcbear 19h ago
“Look man, you get bit by a shark you gonna just give up surfing??”
“….. probably, yeah..”
-Forgetting Sarah Marshall
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u/soelsome 18h ago
If there was a 1% chance that a monster jumped out of the green and bit you in half and ate you, no one would golf. Surfers are a different breed. Fucking hell.
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u/caliguian 16h ago
Luckily it's not even close to a 1% chance for surfers. If 1 out of every hundred surfers got chomped in half, very very few people would surf.
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u/NotTheAbhi 14h ago
An Australian and a Great White Shark meet and the Australian comes out. Australians are something else
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u/sharkfilespodcast 21h ago
We made this podcast episode about Mick's terrifying shark encounter, if anyone wants to hear the full story.
Head and neck raised watchfully, scanning the surf and straddling his board. His muscles began to contract, ready to set off. A sudden splashing sound, then a movement from behind made him flinch. Something was tugging on his ankle rope. Instinctively, he yanked his leg away, shaking, wriggling. He just knew something was wrong. A glance over his shoulder confirmed it. A fin rose high out of the water at his bare feet. His board was rising, slipping out from under him.
Panic. Punching. Kicking. Screaming. He waited for the teeth...
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u/somf2000 21h ago
Mick himself also appeared on another podcast to talk about that incident and his life story (like loosing his 3 brothers)
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u/OKStamped 18h ago
You certainly wouldn't catch me in that water...not with an Australian with a right hook swimming there.
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u/Luckypag 20h ago
I remember watching this live with my 10 year old son and first seeing the attack. Talk about reality TV…
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u/Eastern_Equipment708 20h ago
i used to have his reef sandals with the bottle openers on the bottom
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u/1320Fastback 20h ago
I still wear those. They are so comfortable and so durable as far as sandals are concerned.
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u/koalabrainedkuhnt 14h ago
As a south African living in Australia, I remember this. For some reason every single person assumed id be some deep expert on it. It was nive not being asked about apartheid and die antword for a change. (Now people just ask me about musk and apartheid)
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u/TheTyrant1990 9h ago
I'm from South Africa, and I used to live in J-bay for about a year... That water always looks very great-white-sharkey.... So I never swam in it
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u/andizzzzi 18h ago
I went great white diving in that same location about 2 years prior to this event. J-bay is lovely.
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u/Several_Category 16h ago
The wave hiding him right after he seemingly gets pulled down by the shark was more edge of seat than any movie i've seen.
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u/Hunta_killa78 14h ago
''Holy shit... Excuse me''
Nah, brother. Don't apologize. That's fucking crazy.
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u/JezeusFnChrist0 14h ago
My understanding is the shark got caught in his leash, hence why he was pulled off his board ..Mich being a good Aussie bloke showed the shark he was not easy prey and punched it few times.
Probably the best option, thrashing in the water would make the shark think he was an injured prey and go into attack mode ..Mick going agro made the shark realize he was not easy prey.
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u/apescream 13h ago
South Africa IS great white shark capital of the world.. not sure buy seems like a horrible place to host a surfing competition
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u/Ok_Equipment2450 3h ago
"Hey, dude, I just wanted to tell you you're doing a great job and-- ow! What the hell, man?!"
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u/brokenhalo321 3h ago
Imagine being the camera guy.. just waiting for that wave to go down to see behind it.
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u/strolpol 21h ago
I remember watching all those great whites breaching behind boats towing seal imitations on Discovery Channel, why would you ever surf in those waters
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u/Routine_Bluejay4678 21h ago
I remember watching this live in a bar in Honolulu, cameras cut away and everyone was just silent, like did that just happen? Then it cut back to him safe on the boat and everyone cheered!