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‘It was eating me': Paul de Gelder reflects on horror Sydney Harbour shark attack
‘It was eating me': Paul de Gelder reflects on horror Sydney Harbour shark attack

Courier-Mail

time5 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

Here's what shark experts do to stay safe in the ocean
Here's what shark experts do to stay safe in the ocean

Toronto Sun

time6 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Toronto Sun

Here's what shark experts do to stay safe in the ocean

Published Aug 05, 2025 • Last updated 6 minutes ago • 4 minute read Photo by Getty Images Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Discovery Channel's 'Shark Week' begins Sunday for the 37th year. And Steven Spielberg's movie 'Jaws' celebrated its 50th anniversary in June. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Despite the fanfare and some highly publicized reports of shark bites, researchers are quick to point out the apex fish are not the bloodthirsty predators they're made out to be. Instances of sharks biting humans are extremely rare. You're more likely to die falling into a hole at the beach, in a riptide or in an alligator attack than from a shark bite, according to data from the Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File. Last year, the museum recorded 47 unprovoked bites worldwide. 'They're not these monster killers that just come flying in whenever there's bait,' said Neil Hammerschlag, a shark researcher based in Nova Scotia, Canada, who charters cage-diving expeditions to bring tourists up close to blue, mako and great white sharks. 'They're very cautious.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Hammerschlag, who's been studying sharks for 24 years, said some are more curious about the colour of the boat or the sound of the engine than the 20 pounds of sushi-grade tuna he brings on each trip as bait. Chris Lowe, the director of the Shark Lab at California State University in Long Beach, said he has 'hundreds, if not thousands of hours of footage' of sharks near the shore in California. And, most of the time, they're there to relax, he said. For three years, researchers in Lowe's lab surveyed 26 beaches from Santa Barbara to San Diego with drones and saw sharks swim right under surfers without changing course. 'It's like they are ignoring us,' he said. 'We're just flotsam, not food or foe.' The Washington Post asked Hammerschlag and Lowe what they do and the advice they give beachgoers who want to avoid a shark encounter. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Lowe said when he's out in the water he spends some time looking behind himself and others, 'like checking my mirrors when I'm driving.' Sharks are stealthy and try to approach other animals from behind. Don't treat the ocean like Disneyland, Lowe said. You're in a wild place where you can't eliminate all risks. His advice: Be vigilant. It will reduce your likelihood of a shark swimming up too closely to investigate you. And, do your homework about the body of water you're swimming in. 'Who are you going to be sharing the ocean with? Is it sharks? Is it stingrays?' Lowe said. 'When we go in the ocean, we are entering someone else's home.' Avoid swimming at dawn, dusk and night Sharks may confuse a human foot for a fish, or a surfboard for a seal, when visibility is poor, such as in lowlight conditions. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Sharks use their mouth and teeth to inspect what's in front of them like we use our hands, Hammerschlag said. 'Most shark bites of people are not predatory,' he said. 'When sharks have bitten people, it seems that they're investigatory or mistaken identity.' Don't wear reflective jewelry in the water The light glimmering off jewelry can look like a fish scale to a shark, Hammerschlag said. He adds reflective stickers to the cage he uses on diving expeditions to try to catch a shark's attention. Don't swim near someone who's fishing A fish caught on a line could get the attention of a shark. 'Those vibrations are like ringing the dinner bell for a shark,' Hammerschlag said. However, it can help to swim near other people, Lowe said, since groups of people might be more intimidating than solo swimmers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. If you see fish jumping out of water or birds diving for a meal, there could be a 'bait ball' of fish nearby, and that's a feeding opportunity for sharks, Hammerschlag said. There's a myth that a pod of dolphins can ward off sharks. But, he said, the opposite may be the case. 'If there's a big bait ball of fish that dolphins are feeding on, the sharks could be feeing on that, as well,' Hammerschlag said. Don't panic when you spot a shark If you see a shark in the water, don't panic and swim away, Hammerschlag said. If you do, the shark might see you as prey. And, 'you're not going to outswim a shark,' he said. Instead, orient your body so you're always facing the shark and maintain eye contact, Hammerschlag said. Sharks can't sneak up on you if there's no element of surprise. 'You're showing the shark that you see it, and you're responding to it,' he said. 'And that is not a situation that a hunting shark wants to be in.' If you're scuba diving, you can also sit on the ocean floor; sharks tend to approach potential prey from below, Hammerschlag said. For more health news and content around diseases, conditions, wellness, healthy living, drugs, treatments and more, head to – a member of the Postmedia Network. Sunshine Girls Opinion Columnists Relationships Sunshine Girls

‘Everyone says you do white people things' – Zandi Ndhlovu on why she wants more black people to access oceans
‘Everyone says you do white people things' – Zandi Ndhlovu on why she wants more black people to access oceans

The Citizen

time28-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • The Citizen

‘Everyone says you do white people things' – Zandi Ndhlovu on why she wants more black people to access oceans

Zandi Ndhlovu is Mzani's first black female freediving instructor. Zandi Ndhlovu who is also known as the Black Mermaid is big on bringing access in marine life. Picture: zandithemermaid/Instagram Zandi Ndhlovu says she got the 'black mermaid' tag during a radio interview where callers kept referring to her as 'watermeisie', which is the Afrikaans word for mermaid. 'I said there's something about that, because I feel like I've seen mermaids but I've never seen a black mermaid and somehow that kind of lived and it's stayed,' Ndhlovu tells The Citizen. 'Everyone will say 'but there's different mermaids that have always been black' but when you look at Ariel [The Little Mermaid], the exploratory way of living with the ocean that has no fear attached to it, there is not enough of that representation, and so black mermaid helped.' Ndhlovu, South Africa's first black female freediving instructor, spoke to The Citizen ahead of Shark Week, which officially starts on Monday in South Africa. 'I think Shark Week is such a powerful platform for people to get educated but also the opportunity to care,' said Ndhlovu. ALSO READ: Photographer's exhibition gives humanity a wake-up call on its impact on wildlife Shark Week Shark Week is an annual programming event on the Discovery Channel that celebrates sharks and ocean conservation. It features a week of shark-themed documentaries, specials and educational content. It's something that began in the US and is now in South Africa. While it kicks off on Monday in Africa, through Discovery Channel Africa, it wrapped up on Saturday in the US. 'Because of its scale, it [Shark Week] expands how we not only view sharks but who can be in the shark space and who can live and work in that space,' said Ndhlovu. Some of the shows that will be screened on Discovery Channel Africa throughout this week include Battle for Shark Mountain, Great White Reign of Terror and Air Jaws: The Hunt for Colossus. 'What makes this year especially exciting is the incredible talent and stories coming out of Africa, from the breath-taking coastlines of Mozambique to the powerful voices of local scientists and conservationists,' said Head of Factual Channels DNets EMEA & Scripted Acquisition CEE, Kerrie McEvoy. ALSO READ: WATCH: SA short film 'Caleb: Beyond the Bite' wins gold at film festival Ndhlovu's passion for sea life It was less than 10 years ago when Ndhlovu went on her first snorkel trip in Bali, and nothing has been the same for her since. 'I was 28 years old, had no idea how to use a mask to snorkel and just absolutely fell in love, that's of course after I freaked out.' She says she found a sense of belonging when she snorkelled. 'That feeling of belonging would go on to change everything cause I knew I wanted to live with the ocean.' She came back to South Africa and learnt how to scuba dive around 2017 and 2018. 'In 2019 I go on my first ever free diving course and as I held my breath under water, for the first time, there was that feeling [from 2016 in Bali] and I knew that's where I needed to be.' The following year, she qualified as a free-diving instructor, going on to become South Africa's first black female free-diving instructor. 'From there, I started the Black Mermaid Foundation because I knew that I don't want to work in a dive shop. I want to work to create access and increase representation because again, I come from Soweto, where we have different beliefs about water,' she says. Ndhlovu adds that the idea is not to completely change these beliefs about water. 'It's the hope that we could introduce duality in how we view the world.' ALSO READ: Khabonina Qubeka on Shaka iLembe role: 'My aim as an artist is to make you feel' Ndhlovu on representation She says the vision to be more intentional about representation and creating access expanded after 2019. 'It is said that when you arrive in a room and you're the only one, your job is to keep that door open to make sure that everybody can enter the room and for me it was not about being the only one there that said how do we see a future that's more representative. How we save anything is all hands on deck,' she shared. 'The more you educate, the more people know. The more people know, the more people do. That's why for us ocean literacy is huge,' she shared. Ndhlovu has been named in the BBC 100 Women list, and she continues to inspire as a powerful voice for ocean equity and youth empowerment. She decided to target kids because they are more receptive to her teachings about marine life. 'Everyone would say 'you do white people things'. I knew that my friends are not the way in which we're gonna change this. I said 'what does it mean if we try and catch them when they're young' and that's how I started working with kids, 10 to 15 year olds.' ALSO READ: Saving the environment through song Collaborating with communities She's now expanding and targeting high school students. Ndhlovu started by working with young students from Langa in Cape Town. She now works closely with Philippi Village, a safe and vibrant space that connects the Philippi community to necessary services, employment opportunities, educational resources, and cultural activities. 'When we worked KwaLanga, yes we worked with the community advice office but we have as strong support. So when you look at Philippi Village, they have an excited team that are actively trying to make sure that learners have access to these opportunities. They are so determined.' She says that when the Black Mermaid Foundation partnered with Philippi Village, opportunities began to open up. 'We've opened our first ocean hub. I think it's important for the kids to go out to sea but they need to see that sea represented in their communities and we work in township spaces. How do you change a narrative without the community being able to witness this ocean space in their everyday as well.' The Black Mermaid Foundation's ocean hub is a container located in the Philippi Village, where students can visit to learn about sea life. 'Philippi Village gave us a safe space to establish the ocean hub and we're growing, we're expanding our work from one-off snorkel mission, educational missions to six weeks intentional missions that capacitate high school students to leaders in the ocean space,' she says. 'We want the world to witness Africa in her brilliance. Just because we grow up in townships, our geniuses are different because we have a different kind of lived experience. 'Our genius shows up from the communities from which we come. We can build things that can scale because South Africa is 80 percent black, so much of our experiences are lived and shared.' NOW READ: Sharks are 'rhinos of the sea' – Why are we not protecting them?

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