Latest news with #PauldeGelder
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Shocking new details emerge about shark attack on Sydney Harbour: 'It was eating me'
Sixteen years after a bull shark tore off his arm and leg in Sydney Harbour, former Navy diver Paul de Gelder is back in shark-infested waters, this time by choice. In a new Discovery series, How To Survive a Shark Attack, de Gelder puts himself in high-risk situations to test survival tactics and educate viewers on how to stay alive during an encounter with one of the ocean's deadliest predators. Viewers will experience real shark attacks up close through a series of never-before-attempted experiments that teach life-saving tactics for surviving an encounter. One experiment shows de Gelder on an upturned kayak with hungry sharks circling underneath. In another exeriment De Gelder straps on fake limbs oozing with blood, then feeds them to real sharks mouths. 'Paul, I just want to go on the record and say that I'm not comfortable with this,' a producer warned off-camera. He insists filming the program wasn't retraumatising and sees himself as a survivor rather than a victim. 'I've lived a pretty tumultuous life, and I don't really look at the bad things that have happened to me as anchor points that I need to latch onto and spiral into depression or have PTSD or anything like that,' he said. Sixteen years ago, on February 11, 2009, de Gelder was taking part in a counter-terrorism military exercise in Sydney Harbour near Woolloomooloo when a nine-foot-long bull shark attacked him without warning. The assault lasted just eight seconds, but it cost him an arm and a leg. 'No one saw the shark coming. It was eating me before everyone knew what was even happening,' he told 'I grabbed it by the nose and I tried to lever it off me, but that did absolutely nothing. 'I tried to punch it off ... but it took me under and started tearing me apart. He pounded the 300kg beast with everything he had as it pulled him under once more, convinced this time it was the end. 'I was drowning in agony, being eaten alive and I realised there was nothing I could do, so I gave up.' Then, in a move he still can't explain, the shark suddenly let go, leaving de Gelder floating in the harbour. Despite the catastrophic injuries, he managed to swim back to the safety boat through a pool of his own blood. Onboard, his colleagues desperately tried to stop the bleeding using T-shirts. 'Then it was thanks to my chief on the wharf, knowing that it wasn't stopping the blood, so he got one of the guys to pinch an artery closed with their fingers,' de Gelder said. 'The surgeon said if he hadn't done that, I would have died within another 30 seconds.' He recalls the surreal moment it all began: 'I was on the surface, on my back, kicking my legs when all of the sudden, I felt this pressure on my leg. I turned around and I came face to face with a massive shark's head. 'And then my survival instincts kicked in and I thought, 'I've got to get out of this somehow.' 'I thought, I've seen Shark Week - I'll jab it in the eyeball. The shark actually had my right hand and I couldn't move it. In his Shark Week special, de Gelder shares his top tips for surviving a shark attack. Some are straightforward, like avoiding murky water or areas with fishing activity, but others might surprise you. One big myth he busts: don't punch a shark in the nose. 'Now, if you're in the jaws of the shark? At that point, you want to do all you can. In that case, I would go for the eyeballs, go for the gills, just fight for your life,' he says. 'But generally speaking, if you see a shark and it does approach you, you do not want to punch it in the nose.' There are two main reasons. First, a shark's head is made of thick cartilage, so punching it can hurt your hand, and bleeding in the water is a bad idea. Second, sharks are faster and more agile underwater than you. That punch could miss or even land your hand in its mouth, making it an easy meal. Now 47, de Gelder says he doesn't view himself as a victim, but a survivor, and he's dedicated his life to protecting sharks in the wild. 'I'm not retraumatised by any of this,' he insists. Shark Week begins Sunday 10 August at 7:30pm on Discovery (Foxtel, Fetch, Binge) and HBO Max. How To Survive a Shark Attack premieres Tuesday 12 August at 7:30pm. How to Survive a Shark Attack premieres Tuesday 12 August at 7.30pm.
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘It was eating me': Paul de Gelder reflects on horror Sydney Harbour shark attack
It was another normal day on Sydney Harbour in 2009 when navy diver Paul de Gelder lost an arm, a leg – and very nearly his life. de Gelder was undertaking a navy counter-terrorism operation, swimming in murky waters near Woolloomooloo, when a bull shark grabbed hold of him in an attack that lasted just eight seconds but would give him permanently life-changing injuries. But de Gelder survived, and turned his near-death experience into a new career as a motivational speaker and shark expert, making him an ideal candidate to host the new TV special How to Survive A Shark Attack, streaming as part of Shark Week on HBO Max and Discovery from August 10. de Gelder goes full method for the special, strapping on prosthetic limbs packed with fake blood, then literally feeding them into wild sharks' mouths to recreate the frenzy of an attack, and explain what to do afterwards to better your chances of survival. It's intense viewing, but de Gelder bats away any suggestion that it might have been re-traumatising for him. 'I've lived a pretty tumultuous life, and I don't really look at the bad things that have happened to me as anchor points that I need to latch onto and spiral into depression or have PTSD or anything like that,' he tells 'I survived, I wasn't a victim, and I've cracked on with life. Now I get paid to travel the world, have adventures... and try not to nearly die again.' It seems he comes frighteningly close in How To Survive a Shark Attack, though: At one point in the special, as de Gelder holds onto an upturned kayak with hungry sharks circling underneath, we hear the voice of a producer ring out from a nearby boat: 'Paul, I just want to go on the record and say that I'm not comfortable with this.' de Gelder scoffs at the notion he should be taking safety advice from a TV hack. 'The producers, you have to understand, they're generally not particularly knowledgeable in working with sharks,' he says. 'They know what [shots] they want, and sometimes it's them who start to push the boundaries: I have to say 'Actually no, we're not going to do that, it's way too dangerous.' But to push a producer to the brink like that … yeah, we were doing something pretty wild,' he concedes. The special outlines de Gelder's top tips for shark attack survival – and while some are commonsense (don't swim in murky water or near fishing activity), others might surprise you. Contrary to popular belief, de Gelder advises against punching a shark on the nose if it comes toward you. 'Now, if you're in the jaws of the shark? At that point, you want to do all you can. In that case, I would go for the eyeballs, go for the gills, just fight for your life,' he says. 'But generally speaking, if you see a shark and it does approach you, you do not want to punch it in the nose.' The reasons are twofold: Firstly, sharks have 'incredibly thick cartilage' on their heads and you may seriously hurt your hand (introducing blood to the water is not ideal in this scenario). Secondly, and more importantly: Your skills at underwater punching will probably be outgunned by the shark's ability to manoeuvre in the water. Your planned Rocky-esque left hook might actually result in you delivering your hand into the mouth of a shark. It'd be the easiest meal they'd find all day. 'It's just not worth it. It's better to just be calm. I would say you always want to be swimming or diving in clear water, because that's the only time you're going to be able to defend yourself. In murky water, like my situation, you just don't see them coming.' Which begs the question: Does de Gelder think anything could have improved the outcome of his own near-fatal shark attack? Is there anything he thinks he should've done differently? 'There really wasn't anything I could do; no one saw the shark coming,' de Gelder says. 'It was eating me before everyone knew what was even happening.' de Gelder says it was the training he and his navy colleagues had received that saved his life: 'Having the focus to be able to swim back to the safety boat with one hand and one leg through a pool of my own blood, and then my three teammates in the boat jamming their T-shirts into the wound, strapping it with a life jacket to cinch it all down,' he says. By now I'm feeling slightly giddy, but de Gelder continues, in vivid detail: 'Then it was thanks to my chief on the wharf, knowing that it wasn't stopping the blood, so he got one of the guys to pinch an artery closed with their fingers. The surgeon said if he hadn't done that, I would have died within another 30 seconds.' It's time to ask a question on behalf of every other Sydney resident who's ever enjoyed a cooling dip in Sydney Harbour, famously teeming with the sort of aggressive bull sharks who did so much damage to him: Are we all complete idiots? 'No, I don't think so. In these scenarios, always look at the numbers. How many attacks have there been? There was a woman last year that got a little nibble. Other than that, I'm the only one in about 50 years. 'So you've got more chance of dying in a car accident on the way to the beach than you do of getting attacked by a shark anywhere in Australia,' he says. 'Now, having said that, it wouldn't be my first place to go swimming,' de Gelder confesses with a laugh. 'But you know, if it's hot and the water's inviting, I would say: Jump in, don't swim around too long... then get back on the boat.'
Courier-Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
‘It was eating me': Paul de Gelder reflects on horror Sydney Harbour shark attack
Don't miss out on the headlines from TV. Followed categories will be added to My News. It was another normal day on Sydney Harbour in 2009 when navy diver Paul de Gelder lost an arm, a leg – and very nearly his life. de Gelder was undertaking a navy counter-terrorism operation, swimming in murky waters near Woolloomooloo, when a bull shark grabbed hold of him in an attack that lasted just eight seconds but would give him permanently life-changing injuries. But de Gelder survived, and turned his near-death experience into a new career as a motivational speaker and shark expert, making him an ideal candidate to host the new TV special How to Survive A Shark Attack, streaming as part of Shark Week on HBO Max and Discovery from August 10. de Gelder goes full method for the special, strapping on prosthetic limbs packed with fake blood, then literally feeding them into wild sharks' mouths to recreate the frenzy of an attack, and explain what to do afterwards to better your chances of survival. It's intense viewing, but de Gelder bats away any suggestion that it might have been re-traumatising for him. 'I've lived a pretty tumultuous life, and I don't really look at the bad things that have happened to me as anchor points that I need to latch onto and spiral into depression or have PTSD or anything like that,' he tells He survived a brutal shark attack on Sydney Harbour... ...but it didn't stop Paul de Gelder from getting back in the water. 'I survived, I wasn't a victim, and I've cracked on with life. Now I get paid to travel the world, have adventures... and try not to nearly die again.' It seems he comes frighteningly close in How To Survive a Shark Attack, though: At one point in the special, as de Gelder holds onto an upturned kayak with hungry sharks circling underneath, we hear the voice of a producer ring out from a nearby boat: 'Paul, I just want to go on the record and say that I'm not comfortable with this.' de Gelder scoffs at the notion he should be taking safety advice from a TV hack. 'The producers, you have to understand, they're generally not particularly knowledgeable in working with sharks,' he says. 'They know what [shots] they want, and sometimes it's them who start to push the boundaries: I have to say 'Actually no, we're not going to do that, it's way too dangerous.' But to push a producer to the brink like that … yeah, we were doing something pretty wild,' he concedes. de Gelder lost an arm and a leg in his attack - now he's put his life on the line again. The special outlines de Gelder's top tips for shark attack survival – and while some are commonsense (don't swim in murky water or near fishing activity), others might surprise you. Contrary to popular belief, de Gelder advises against punching a shark on the nose if it comes toward you. 'Now, if you're in the jaws of the shark? At that point, you want to do all you can. In that case, I would go for the eyeballs, go for the gills, just fight for your life,' he says. 'But generally speaking, if you see a shark and it does approach you, you do not want to punch it in the nose.' The reasons are twofold: Firstly, sharks have 'incredibly thick cartilage' on their heads and you may seriously hurt your hand (introducing blood to the water is not ideal in this scenario). Secondly, and more importantly: Your skills at underwater punching will probably be outgunned by the shark's ability to manoeuvre in the water. Your planned Rocky-esque left hook might actually result in you delivering your hand into the mouth of a shark. It'd be the easiest meal they'd find all day. Despite what you may have heard, it's best not to punch an approaching shark in the nose. 'It's just not worth it. It's better to just be calm. I would say you always want to be swimming or diving in clear water, because that's the only time you're going to be able to defend yourself. In murky water, like my situation, you just don't see them coming.' Which begs the question: Does de Gelder think anything could have improved the outcome of his own near-fatal shark attack? Is there anything he thinks he should've done differently? 'There really wasn't anything I could do; no one saw the shark coming,' de Gelder says. 'It was eating me before everyone knew what was even happening.' de Gelder says it was the training he and his navy colleagues had received that saved his life: 'Having the focus to be able to swim back to the safety boat with one hand and one leg through a pool of my own blood, and then my three teammates in the boat jamming their T-shirts into the wound, strapping it with a life jacket to cinch it all down,' he says. By now I'm feeling slightly giddy, but de Gelder continues, in vivid detail: 'Then it was thanks to my chief on the wharf, knowing that it wasn't stopping the blood, so he got one of the guys to pinch an artery closed with their fingers. The surgeon said if he hadn't done that, I would have died within another 30 seconds.' It's time to ask a question on behalf of every other Sydney resident who's ever enjoyed a cooling dip in Sydney Harbour, famously teeming with the sort of aggressive bull sharks who did so much damage to him: Are we all complete idiots? 'No, I don't think so. In these scenarios, always look at the numbers. How many attacks have there been? There was a woman last year that got a little nibble. Other than that, I'm the only one in about 50 years. 'So you've got more chance of dying in a car accident on the way to the beach than you do of getting attacked by a shark anywhere in Australia,' he says. 'Now, having said that, it wouldn't be my first place to go swimming,' de Gelder confesses with a laugh. 'But you know, if it's hot and the water's inviting, I would say: Jump in, don't swim around too long... then get back on the boat.' Stream or watch Shark Week from Sunday 10 August at 7:30pm on Discovery (available on Foxtel, Fetch and Binge) and HBO Max. How to Survive a Shark Attack premieres Tuesday 12 August at 7.30pm. Originally published as 'It was eating me': Paul de Gelder reflects on horror Sydney Harbour shark attack
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
A shark attack survivor says to do this if you come face to fin with a great white
You're treading cold ocean water off Cape Cod and, suddenly, you're not alone - a great white shark has confused you for a bobbing grey seal, and is hoping for a lucky bite. What do you do? Former Australian Navy diver and shark attack survivor, Paul de Gelder, who lost his right hand and leg in a 2009 Sydney Harbor attack, says the key to ensuring your survival lies in your behavior. First, stay cool and collected, he told 'CBS Mornings' this week - no matter how hard that may be. "I know it goes against all natural instincts of preservation, not to panic, but that's the most important thing you can do," the 47-year-old said. 'You have to understand these sharks don't really know what you are, you're almost the same size as them, and they don't want to fight." Second, he said, be aware of where the shark is at all times by staring the apex predator down. 'They know when you're watching, they don't want to attack you when you're watching" he explained. Lastly, resist the urge to punch the creature — unless you absolutely have to. Pushing the sharks can guide them away from you, but divers advise people not to grab their faces. 'Because under their snouts are highly sensitive pores called the Ampullae of Lorenzini — tiny receptors that detect electrical signals. Touching that area can overstimulate them, causing a shark to reflexively open its mouth wide,' SDM Diving says. However, sharks respect size and power and people should not act passively during an encounter. Beachgoers have gotten away from sharks by taking swings at their noses and eyes. De Gelder tried to do the same, but was unsuccessful. Should the shark become aggressive, shark researcher Ryan Johnson previously told the BBC that people should try to do everything in their power and keep their hands out the animals' jaws. Ideally, they should use something hard to push the shark away. 'In a situation where you don't have that, going for the face and the gills and trying to keep your hands out of its mouth is always the best thing,' he said. Experts at the Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File say people should aim for the eyes and gills, but note that water resistance weakens a punch. Of course, the chance of any of this happening is incredibly remote. A human is more likely to bite you than a shark and a Stanford University report from 2015 found that surfers and scuba divers have a one in 17 million and one in 136 million chance of being bitten, respectively. More often than not, a bite is the case of mistaken identity and potentially the result of low vision in great whites. Last year, the number of unprovoked bites were significantly lower than average, in the U.S. and globally. There were 28 in the U.S., compared to the 36 reported in 2023. Still, to be safe, there are things people can do before they enter the water to minimize their chance of a bite, including not entering the water where there's a lot of fish, not going into the water alone or at dawn or dusk, when vision may be low. De Gelder, who is part of a new Discovery Channel special called 'How to Survive a Shark Attack,' previously told the Australian Broadcasting Company that he was wearing a wet suit and black fins, likely 'looking like an injured seal' to the shark that attacked him. "I want to show people by doing," he told CBS.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
A shark attack survivor says to do this if you come face to fin with a great white
You're treading cold ocean water off Cape Cod and, suddenly, you're not alone - a great white shark has confused you for a bobbing grey seal, and is hoping for a lucky bite. What do you do? Former Australian Navy diver and shark attack survivor, Paul de Gelder, who lost his right hand and leg in a 2009 Sydney Harbor attack, says the key to ensuring your survival lies in your behavior. First, stay cool and collected, he told 'CBS Mornings' this week - no matter how hard that may be. "I know it goes against all natural instincts of preservation, not to panic, but that's the most important thing you can do," the 47-year-old said. 'You have to understand these sharks don't really know what you are, you're almost the same size as them, and they don't want to fight." Second, he said, be aware of where the shark is at all times by staring the apex predator down. 'They know when you're watching, they don't want to attack you when you're watching" he explained. Lastly, resist the urge to punch the creature — unless you absolutely have to. Pushing the sharks can guide them away from you, but divers advise people not to grab their faces. 'Because under their snouts are highly sensitive pores called the Ampullae of Lorenzini — tiny receptors that detect electrical signals. Touching that area can overstimulate them, causing a shark to reflexively open its mouth wide,' SDM Diving says. However, sharks respect size and power and people should not act passively during an encounter. Beachgoers have gotten away from sharks by taking swings at their noses and eyes. De Gelder tried to do the same, but was unsuccessful. Should the shark become aggressive, shark researcher Ryan Johnson previously told the BBC that people should try to do everything in their power and keep their hands out the animals' jaws. Ideally, they should use something hard to push the shark away. 'In a situation where you don't have that, going for the face and the gills and trying to keep your hands out of its mouth is always the best thing,' he said. Experts at the Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File say people should aim for the eyes and gills, but note that water resistance weakens a punch. Of course, the chance of any of this happening is incredibly remote. A human is more likely to bite you than a shark and a Stanford University report from 2015 found that surfers and scuba divers have a one in 17 million and one in 136 million chance of being bitten, respectively. More often than not, a bite is the case of mistaken identity and potentially the result of low vision in great whites. Last year, the number of unprovoked bites were significantly lower than average, in the U.S. and globally. There were 28 in the U.S., compared to the 36 reported in 2023. Still, to be safe, there are things people can do before they enter the water to minimize their chance of a bite, including not entering the water where there's a lot of fish, not going into the water alone or at dawn or dusk, when vision may be low. De Gelder, who is part of a new Discovery Channel special called 'How to Survive a Shark Attack,' previously told the Australian Broadcasting Company that he was wearing a wet suit and black fins, likely 'looking like an injured seal' to the shark that attacked him. "I want to show people by doing," he told CBS.
