Fins to the Left, Fins on My Leg...

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » February 11, 2004 5:01 pm

From abcnews.com:
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20040211_879.html

Man With Shark Attached to Leg Seeks Help

Man Swims, Walks and Drives for Help With Shark Attached to Leg After Snorkeling in Australia

The Associated Press

SYDNEY, Australia Feb. 11 — Lifeguards at a beach post north of Sydney couldn't believe their eyes when a man walked in with a small shark attached to his leg.

Luke Tresoglavic swam 1,000 feet to shore, walked to his car and drove to the local surf club with the 23-inch shark biting his leg and refusing to let go.

"I just realized I had to swim in like that, hanging on to it," Tresoglavic told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio on Wednesday.

Tresoglavic, 22, was snorkeling on a reef off Caves Beach near Newcastle on Tuesday when a wobbegong, or carpet shark, attacked his leg.

"Once I got on to shore, a couple of people tried to help me, but I could not remove it," he said. "It was stuck there, so I got up into my car and then drove to the clubhouse, and luckily the guys down there had a clue what to do."

A senior lifeguard at the clubhouse, Michael Jones, said he couldn't believe his eyes when Tresoglavic turned up shark in tow.

"He basically asked the question: 'Can you help me get it off?' There's nothing in our procedure manual for that type of thing," Jones said.

The lifeguards flushed the shark's gills with fresh water, forcing it to loosen its grip on Tresoglavic's leg with blood oozing from 70 needle-like punctures. The shark later died.

"He's lucky he didn't get into difficulties in the water trying to swim with that thing thrashing around," Jones said.

But he said Tresoglavic remained in good spirits throughout the ordeal. "There was a side of humor to it," he said.

Tresoglavic was taken to hospital, but it was not immediately clear what treatment he received.

Wobbegong sharks can grow to nearly 10 feet in length, possess razor-sharp teeth and are said to be moody and short-tempered.

phjrsaunt · Post by **phjrsaunt** » February 11, 2004 5:07 pm

Shucks! I know it's gross, but I was hoping for a picture!

Sidew13 · Post by **Sidew13** » February 11, 2004 6:21 pm

and all I get is a t-shirt when I go to the beach

Desdamona · Post by **Desdamona** » February 11, 2004 6:25 pm

phjrsaunt wrote:Shucks! I know it's gross, but I was hoping for a picture!

This is as good as CNN could do:

Why isn't there a camera around when you need one???

From AIM News:"The Tresoglavics buried the dead shark in
their garden." And so a new tradition begins...

And the real question is, why couldn't someone else have
driven this man/shark combo to the lifeguard station?

*wahine*surfer · Post by *wahine*surfer » February 11, 2004 8:41 pm

phjrsaunt wrote:Shucks! I know it's gross, but I was hoping for a picture!

me too

countrified · Post by **countrified** » February 12, 2004 5:13 pm

you asked for it...

creeky · Post by **creeky** » February 13, 2004 1:29 am

Ok, this I know about, as it happened here in Newcastle - at Caves Beach - not far from where I am.

He could not get someone else to drive him to the lifeguard station as he was in his 4WD on his own on the beach (looooooooong beach) - away from the lifeguards and anyone else - so he had to drive himself.

He did not suffer any real injury - just 40 odd puncture marks - that thing was stuck on him for a while!

It was weird seeing footage of it on the news!

babbitphed · Post by **babbitphed** » February 13, 2004 11:13 am

This reminds me of last nights Survivor episode (I'm a Survivor junkie)

.
Richard was spear fishing. He grabbed a small shark by the tail. It latched onto his arm. He swam back to shore. His tribe cooked it and ate it. Yum Yum.

CRC Parrothead · Post by **CRC Parrothead** » February 13, 2004 11:20 am

OUCH!!!

finsupnorth · Post by **finsupnorth** » February 13, 2004 11:30 am

babbitphed wrote:This reminds me of last nights Survivor episode (I'm a Survivor junkie) .
Richard was spear fishing. He grabbed a small shark by the tail. It latched onto his arm. He swam back to shore. His tribe cooked it and ate it. Yum Yum.

I was thinking the same thing when I watched that last night...how ironic that this happened right before the episode was on TV!