A surfer has proudly shown off his destroyed surfboard after he narrowly avoided a shark attack.
Beachgoers at Cabarita Beach, in northern NSW, saw Bogangar man Brad Ross thrashing in the water shortly before 8am on Monday.
Locals likely feared the worst following an attack on a 16-year-old boy by a two-metre shark at the same break six weeks earlier.
Miraculously, Mr Ross emerged from the water unscathed – but the same couldn’t be said for his surfboard.
Confronting photos showed a large bite taken from the board, with the pressure of the attack splitting it in half.
Witnesses reported seeing a four-metre great white shark near the beach.
Surf Lifesaving NSW have deployed drones in the area in an attempt to find the shark.
World champion surfer Kelly Slater commented on footage of Mr Ross’ narrow escape, saying he was ‘lucky to be alive’.
Surfer Brad Ross (pictured) narrowly avoided a shark attack at Cabarita Beach on Monday morning
A large bite was taken out of Mr Ross’ surfboard (pictured)
Mr Ross (pictured) suffered no injuries in the attack
‘Great example of why I fear open ocean swimming so much. Surfboards have saved quite a few surfers with that tiny barrier,’ Slater wrote.
Other locals shared their shock under photos of Mr Ross’ surfboard online.
‘A bit of drama on the beach after I filmed the beautiful sunrise. Another shark attack! I was swimming there this morning too,’ one wrote.
‘Another shark attack at my local beach this morning … That’s a decent sized apex predator too! Poor little shark thought he was getting a tasty treat, ends up with a mouth full of fibreglass splinters,’ another said.
‘Why I don’t surf … No one injured thankfully. I had my swim at south Hastings early this morning. Sharks don’t go there,’ another wrote.
Other joked Mr Ross needed the take advantage of his luck and buy a lottery ticket.
More to come…
