August 21st 2024.
You are stranded on a rock in the middle of the vast ocean, with your boat a daunting 500 meters away. And to make matters worse, there is a great white shark, known as one of the world's most fearsome predators, swimming between you and your only means of escape. It's a terrifying situation that diver and speargun maker, Will Brunker, found himself in during a recent dive.
Brunker, who was diving in Eden Bay on the Sapphire Coast in southern New South Wales, shared his chilling encounter with the shark on the Today show. He and his diving partner were out spearfishing when they came face to face with the massive shark. "I was looking down into the water when I suddenly glanced up to my right and saw a four-plus-meter white shark just staring at me," Brunker recounted.
According to Brunker, there were a lot of salmon in the area, as well as a whale calf with its mother about 100 meters away. He believes that the shark may have thought they were a threat to its food source and was trying to intimidate them. "She was just doing her job," Brunker said.
Despite the danger, Brunker and his partner managed to capture the encounter on camera as they slowly retreated from the shark's presence. He described it as an "honor" to share the water with "the queen of the ocean." "I didn't want to miss out on the chance of a lifetime to swim with such a magnificent creature," Brunker said.
As they cautiously paddled backwards, aiming their spear guns at the shark, the pair realized that they still had to get back to their boat, which was a daunting 500 meters away. "That was the truly scary part," Brunker admitted. "We knew she was there, and we had to swim through deeper and darker water to reach our boat."
The swim back to the boat was "the longest two minutes of our lives," Brunker said. With the knowledge that a powerful apex predator was lurking somewhere in the depths below them, the pair had to stay calm and focused. "We had no idea where she was," Brunker said. "That was the scary part."
Speaking as an experienced speargun builder who regularly enters the marine environment, Brunker emphasized the importance of respecting and understanding the potential dangers of the ocean. "We know that we are not at the top of the food chain," he said. "We see some incredible things, but nothing quite like encountering an apex predator up close and personal."
Despite the intensity of the situation, Brunker was in awe of the shark's remarkable camouflage in the deeper water. "It was really quite something," he said. And as for the swim back to the boat, Brunker and his partner were just relieved to reach safety. "That was definitely the longest two minutes of our lives," he added.
Brunker's breathtaking encounter with the great white shark serves as a reminder to always be aware and respectful of the natural world, especially when venturing into its territory. And as for the question of when to dive in when faced with a dangerous situation, Brunker's answer is clear: you should always prioritize your safety.
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