The human obsession with sharks
Shark attacks may be rare events, but they continue to frighten and fascinate people today. Just the thought of a shark lurking beneath the ocean while we swim at the surface fires up our primal fears. That's why when a shark attack happens in real life, the news goes viral—and the world is left in a state of shock and awe.
The story of Eric Nerhus
That's exactly what happened when the world found out about Eric Nerhus' near-death experience in the open waters. News outlets had reported that Eric, a 41-year-old professional diver, was attacked by a great white shark while he was out in the ocean. And while any shark attack incident is brutal, his was is on a whole other level.
Alexius Sutandio, Shutterstock
He had a passion for the ocean
Eric Nerhus grew up in Eden, Australia—a coastal town known for its beautiful beaches and marine life. From a young age, he was fascinated by the ocean, leading him to become a professional diver.
Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Diving for abalone was his pastime
Eric was a skilled abalone diver, gathering the highly prized snails for their meat and shells. Despite the risky conditions of his job, he was recognized as one of the top professionals in his field.
The day that changed his life
On January 23, 2007, Eric Nerhus and his 16-year-old son Mark went diving at Cape Howe along the New South Wales coastline. Together, they planned to collect abalone from the ocean floor for a few hours.
aussiejeff, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
They ignored all the warning signs
Despite the forecast warning of harsh conditions that typically deterred divers from going out into the ocean, they still went. There were also recent reports of white pointer sightings due to the colder waters in the area, but they didn't think much about it.
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Time and place
They went out on a boat, and Mark was his deckhand. They began their dive around 9 am in the morning, proceeding to descend 26 feet to the ocean floor. This is around the depth below sea level where abalone are plentiful.
The importance of weighted vests
Abalone divers can stay submerged for as long as eight hours with the help of lead weight vests to manage their buoyancy. Typically, they are connected to a machine aboard the boat. Eric and Mark were equipped with both of these items.
astro_matt, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Oxygen supply is plentiful
They were able to receive oxygen through a hose attached to a professional-grade mask. Even with the murky, poor-visibility water, Eric felt comfortable and at ease as he swam around giant rocks.
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Eric knew that diving spot well
Eric thought it would be just another normal dive for abalone. After all, he had done that same dive in that same spot 100 times before, and nothing bad had ever happened. What could go wrong?
Yu Diving, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The calm before the storm
In the Tasman Sea, surrounded by deep blue waters, he only heard the hum of his air regulator. He looked around to see if there was any suspicious activity happening nearby, like fish swimming away from something, but there was none.
Clotho, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Then came a horrific surprise
Suddenly, Eric felt something massive come at him with tremendous force. It came out of nowhere and without warning. At that moment, he tried to get past his shock and focus on what was happening—and then he made a horrific realization.
He was attacked by a great white shark
His vision was dark, but he already knew—it was a great white shark. It must have been about 10 feet long with hundreds of sharp, jagged teeth lining its mouth. It must have been roving the area where he was fishing for abalone.
Elias Levy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Eric's memory of that moment is as clear as day
"One minute it was day light, the next second everything went black. Inside the jaws it was just dark, I couldn't see anything because I was looking down the back of his throat. I've never experienced anything like it."
Sharkcrew, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
It was like something out of a nightmare
Eric felt the shark was biting his head and torso with its strong jaws. Half of his body was inside the shark, while it was thrashing violently. It happened so quickly that neither he nor his son had time to react.
Inside the jaws of the shark
Eric can vividly remember being inside the shark's mouth and feeling its sharp teeth sinking into his skin. He could also feel the shark attempting to devour him in a single gulp, and there was nothing he could do about it.
It was bad—but he had a smidge of luck
Thankfully, because he was wearing a thick mask and heavy diving gear, his head and chest were slightly protected. If he wasn't fully suited up like he was during the attack, he might have lived a worser fate.
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Two minutes of torture
Even though he was shielded from the worst outcome by his gear and protective vest, Eric endured a painful two-minute ordeal inside the creature's mouth before being swallowed.
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It was the scariest moment of his life
"I’ve never felt fear in my life like what I felt in the jaws of that white pointer. I went straight into its mouth, front onwards. Half my body was in its throat. It was like being in a dark cave.”
Elias Levy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The most unbearable pain
Still, Eric's head, shoulders, and chest were fully within the shark's jaws, causing him to sense a scraping sensation on his skull and ribs. He was suffering from unbearable pain and finding it difficult to breathe.
Elias Levy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Eric thought that was the end for him
"I started to get shaken horizontally with a really hard threshing motion. I thought, 'I this the end? Is this what is like to die?' I was actually being eaten alive."
He knew he had to act fast
Despite his intense pain and fear, Eric remained conscious and alert, knowing he had to act quickly to survive. Using all his strength, he fought back. Thankfully, his arms and hands were still outside the shark's bite.
Elias Levy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The maneuver that saved his life
He forcefully swing his arms toward's the shark's head, eventually managing to poke it in one of its eyes with the chisel he used to collect abalone from rocks. Sharks have sensitive vision, so this maneuver often prompts them to release their hold.
Elias Levy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Struggling for survival
During a fierce battle with a shark, Eric's weight belt came loose, giving him more freedom to move around. Despite still being in the shark's mouth, he remained calm and continued to fight aggressively.
Elias Levy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Eric just kept poking the shark's eye
Eric said he fought through the pain and continued applying pressure to the shark. "I twisted its eye as hard as I could and the shark reacted again and let go," he explained.
He never gave up—not for a second
Continuing to poke the shark's eye, he was finally successful. He could feel the shark relax its hold a little bit, and its jaws began to open. This was his chance to get away—and he took it.
Elias Levy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Timing the shark's movements
"The shark reacted by opening its mouth and I just tried to wriggle out," Eric explained. "It was still trying to bite me. It crushed my goggles into my nose and they fell into its mouth."
Elias Levy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
It kept trying to pull him back in
"I started to wriggle out backwards and I wasn't sure if I was going to get out or not. Just as I thought I was getting free, the bottom jaw closed and I felt the teeth sink into the back of my head and into my skull," Eric said.
Elias Levy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Finally breaking free
Eric, with his last strength, freed himself from the shark's mouth. The shark bit his torso again, but he was still free from the shark's hold. Somehow, he still had enough energy to swim to the surface.
Elias Levy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Face to face with his predator
"The big round black eye, 5 inches wide, was staring straight into my face with just not one hint of fear, of any boat, or any human, or any other animal in the sea," said Eric. "It was the scariest sight I have ever seen."
Shane Myers Photography, Shutterstock
At the surface, he needed assistance right away
Mark, Eric's son, was diving in the vicinity when he witnessed the disturbance. He soon recognized his father was in distress and hurried to assist. Upon surfacing, Eric was experiencing intense pain and was bleeding profusely.
The danger was not over
All the while, the great white shark was still beneath, circling him and swimming so close that it would occassionally brush by his flippers. He also feared that the pool of blood from his wounds would attract it back and cause it to attack him again. Thankfully, Mark quickly came over with their boat.
Mark got him help right away
Mark assisted his father onto their boat before promptly seeking assistance. Despite his severe injuries, Eric remained alert, recognizing he was in dire need of immediate medical attention. Mark used their boat's radio to call for help, leading to a quick helicopter rescue.
His situation was looking bleak
The helicopter showed up and transported Eric via air to Wollongong hospital, which was close by. His state was critical with serious injuries on his head, shoulders, and torso. No one was sure if he would make it.
Naval Surface Warriors, Flickr
Chaos at the hospital
Doctors moved swiftly to stabilize his condition and manage his injuries. Despite losing a significant amount of blood and being susceptible to infection, Eric stayed calm and was fighting to stay alive the entire time.
Mx. Granger, Wikimedia Commons
They wheeled him into the OR
Eric underwent several surgeries to repair his shark bite injuries, requiring a hospital stay for a few weeks. He counted a total of 75 stitches to close up his wounds. Through his determination, he survived despite the severity of his injuries.
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Eric's friend speaks on the situation
Dennis Luobikis, a fellow diver, explained how Eric managed to survive the shark attack. "The brunt of the bite was taken by his lead-weight vest. Its all over your torso. Eric said to me at the wharf that his weight vest saved him."
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The power of perserverance
"He pushed his abalone chisel into its head while it was biting and it let him go and swam away," said Dennis. "Eric is a tough boy, he's super fit. But I would say that would test anyone's resolve, being a fish lunch."
Olga Ernst, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
A miraculous recovery
Eric's recovery was nothing less than miraculous. Even with his serious injuries, he made an impressive recovery. His physicians were surprised by the speed of his healing and his positive response to therapy.
Eric became a local hero
Following his recovery, Eric evolved into somewhat of a hometown legend. His tale was highlighted in newspapers and on television globally. He also received numerous messages of support and encouragement from individuals worldwide who sympathized with this story.
Matilda, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous but still humble
Even with his newfound celebrity status, Eric stayed modest and grounded. He appreciated the support he got and was grateful for being alive. He also dedicated his life to raising awareness about ocean safety and the significance of respecting marine life.
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Eric is grateful he survived
"I am glad I am still around. Sometimes you get a break in life," Eric said. "I'm a working man that just wanted to survive very, very badly, at all costs."
He has no ill feelings toward the shark
"I have no animosity towards the shark because I realise it obviously mistook me for its natural prey, which possibly would be a seal. When you think about it, this was probably a one in ten million chance of escape."
In defense of sharks
Eric's encounter emphasized the rareness of shark attacks on humans, whilte also stressing the need to protect sharks due to their crucial role in the ocean ecosystem. Despite his traumatic experience, he advocates against the negative stereotypes put on sharks, especially great white sharks.
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The importance of great whites
Great white sharks are apex predators that are essential in preserving the balance of marine ecosystems. Unfortunately, a large number of shark species are currently at risk of extinction because of overfishing, habitat destruction, and other harmful human activities.
Sharkdiver68, Wikimedia Commons
Shark attacks are rare
Shark attacks are uncommon, with the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) noting low chances of being attacked. Few unprovoked attacks happen globally each year with minimal fatalities. Sharks may mistake humans for prey like seals, leading to mistaken bites. After realizing the error, sharks often release the person and leave.
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Australia is notorious for shark attacks
Australia's long coastline and abundant marine life make it a hotspot for shark attacks due to frequent human-shark interactions. Various shark species, including great white, tiger, and bull sharks, live in Australian waters.
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Safety measures have been taken
To lessen the risk of attacks, the country uses shark nets and drones to enhance beach safety. Despite their occurrence, shark attacks in Australia are still rare compared to other regions.
Where else are great white sharks found?
Aside from the Australian waters where Eric was attacked, great white sharks can also be found in South Africa and California. They are typically abundant in coastal areas, attracted to regions with abundant seals and sea lions for hunting.
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Great white sharks don't like humans
While often seen in popular swimming, surfing, and diving spots, great whites typically avoid humans and do not actively hunt them. Still, it is important to take caution whenever swimming in open water.
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What to do in a shark encounter
Remaining calm during a shark encounter is crucial. Avoid quick movements, maintain eye contact, and slowly move backwards with minimal splashing. Keep the shark in sight and be ready to defend yourself by targeting vulnerable areas like the eyes, gills, or snout. To reduce the risk of encounters, swim in groups, avoid fishing areas, and stay out of the water during dawn, dusk, or nighttime.
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Tools and gadgets that can help
Having tools like a solid dive knife, a shark shield, and an underwater noise maker is helpful when diving in shark-infested areas for defense, deterring sharks, and signaling for help. Also, having a powerful flashlight on hand can be useful in confusing a shark if necessary. Making sure you have a dive buddy for extra safety and staying alert during the dive are essential precautions.
Raising awareness
Eric used his expertise to advocate for shark conservation, sharing the need for better understanding and respect. His storytelling shifted perceptions of sharks from monsters to crucial ecosystem contributors, highlighting their importance in our world.
Back into the ocean
In a matter of months, Eric recovered and was excited to get back in the water. Eric's unwavering commitment to diving caught many off guard. After all, the ocean holds a special place in his heart. It is his second home, and he refuses to abandon his love for it after the shark attack.
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