A windsurfer s amazing encounter with a shark

14/05/2024

James McCarthy-Price's story could have turned into a nightmare. But for this Australian windsurfer, last week's encounter with a 3-metre shark turned out to be an unforgettable adventure.

After his near-death experience off Esperance in Western Australia, James McCarthy-Price shared his gripping story with fellow journalists from ABC and The Project. It was a day like any other on Tuesday 7 May at Fourth Beach in Esperance, where the conditions were just right for a waveriding session. This windsurfing enthusiast and owner of a local distillery was enjoying himself until a harmless fall.
And so McCarthy-Price's story begins... ‘The fact that I came face to face with a shark, a 3 metre long marine predator, and escaped unscathed, of course I'm happy. Even if it was frightening, it was a unique experience. It's not every day you see a shark at the end of your sail.’ When he got back on his board, he realised something was wrong. ‘It was just a snout and big eyes eating the end of my sail’. He starts hitting the water to try and scare it away. James McCarthy-Price recounts that he circled it for a good 5 minutes, getting close enough to touch it.

‘Everyone had told me about punching a shark and how much fun it is. But this shark wasn't the type to be impressed. It was eating my sail, tearing it apart, shaking its head and carrying on’.
As the shark continued to do its tricks, he decided to concentrate on how to survive balancing on his board. 'I said to myself: ‘Don't fall in the water. Where's the shark? Is my foot in the water? After 10 minutes, with the shark still around me, I had drifted close enough to be within earshot of a group of kitesurfers. Just before I reached the wave zone, one of them came and stood next to me and asked if I wanted a tow. I shouted, ‘MATE get fucking moving!!!’. This guy had no idea what was going on. I lost sight of the shark and I think this guy may have scared it off.’ Finally, a providential wave pushed him towards the shore...

Despite this terrifying experience, McCarthy-Price refuses to let fear get in the way of his passion. ‘I have my equipment ready in the car. In reality, shark attacks are so rare. It's all part of the game. When you're in the ocean, you share it with other things. I was able to get back to my family, but for some people in the town, they didn't have such a positive experience and weren't able to get back to their loved ones. So I want to show them some respect.’
An adventure he is sure to remember for a very long time, James McCarthy-Price's account is a reminder of man's fragility in the face of the wilderness, but also of the respect we owe it, not forgetting the capacity of human beings to rise to challenges with courage and determination...