Surfer in shark shock

A LENNOX Head surfer has told of his frightening experience after being circled by a large shark while surfing at Seven Mile Beach.

Surf instructor Dave Sharp had just paddled out into the surf and was about 100m out when the shark surfaced from the murky depths between him and a group of about six others yesterday morning.

“We saw it sort of cruise underneath us and then come directly up with its mouth open,” he said. “It was quite big. I was on a nine foot (long) board and it was definitely longer than my board.”

Mr Sharp said the shark surfaced three or four more times, coming “straight up” with its tail emerging from the water and thrashing about.

“We didn’t know what to do because it was so close,” he said.

“We weren’t worried at first because we thought it was just chasing something, but then it wasn’t going anywhere.”

Mr Sharp said he did his best to stay calm and advised everyone to form a group and paddle in together, slowly.

“Our main concern was there was a little girl out there with her father on a small board but he got her in very quickly,” he said.

Once the group had paddled in, Mr Sharp informed the lifeguards who evacuated 30-40 swimmers between the flags before closing the beach.

A Surf Life Saving NSW spokeswoman said lifeguards also contacted the drone team who used multiple drones with alarms to warn several other surfers still in the water.

The drones patrolled for 45 minutes but did not spot the shark.

The beach was reopened just after 10am.