Swimmers flee after 'bizarre' ocean encounter at popular Aussie beach
Incredible footage has captured the moment a bronze whaler shark reportedly tried to get into an enclosed swimming area.
Swimmers were forced to flee the water in an idyllic Aussie beach town on Friday morning after a close to two-metre shark was spotted circling in the shallows.
Kylie Miller told Yahoo News Australia she was standing on Bar Beach in Narooma, on NSW’s south coast, around 9am when she saw the bronze whaler’s fin making a slight ripple.
Given the “crystal clear water” and “nice, sunny” weather, the Victoria woman visiting her parents said she became worried when she noticed numerous locals wading at the popular swimming spot with most totally unaware of the potential danger.
“I called the police at that point,” Ms Miller said, sharing video footage and photos of the large shark just metres away from people and the shore, as well as pacing around the swimming net.
“Others were running on the beach trying to get [swimmers’] attention. It didn’t seem that worried by them, I have to say. The shark wasn’t aggressive, and it could have probably picked off a couple if it had chosen to because there were people in the water that didn’t realise it was there.”
The shark was believed to be a bronze whaler and was hanging around the netted swimming area. Surf lifesavers attended the scene and closed the beach as a precaution.
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Shark's 'bizarre behaviour' at busy Aussie beach
Ms Miller, her partner and dad — who visits the beach multiple times a week — watched the bronze whaler’s “bizarre behaviour” for about an hour.
“It was patrolling along the beach in the shallows and then around the edge of the swimming net just over and over and over again. There were seals there as well, and it wasn’t wanting them,” she added, pondering if the animal was sick or injured because of its apparent determination to get into the enclosed area.
“From what I’ve read bronze whalers are opportunistic feeders, so they’re not notoriously aggressive but I don’t think you’d want to be swimming with one in a confined space.
“Police brought in a helicopter and a boat and were trying to kind of buzz it out of the swimming area, but it didn’t seem very keen.”
Yahoo News Australia has contacted NSW Police.
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