Shark sightings in Western Australia are nothing new. More rarely, however, are the sightings that are captured on film, not to mention this close to humans. Such was the case at Mettams Pool in Perth last Sunday when a freelance photographer, Rick Knoppert, snapped a few images of some terrified surfers scurrying to shore as a large shark was swimming just several feet away from them.
“There was no surf around,”Knoppert told the Daily Mail. “Then I saw the guys making a beeline for the beach.”
“I thought that was strange so I started photographing and lo and behold, this is what I got,” he continued. “It was all over in five minutes. It was exciting for the guys surfing. They got really buzzed.”
Following the incident, the images were sent to the Department of Fisheries, where officials estimated the shark to be up to 13 feet long. The department was unable to pin point the breed, but some believe the shark was a bronze whaler, as frequent sightings of this potentially dangerous breed have been seen by locals in recent weeks. In the end, no one was harmed and these guys shared an anxious laugh.
