Latest news with #deGelder
Sydney Morning Herald
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
This Aussie was attacked by a shark. Now he's recreating it so you can watch
Eight seconds. That's all it took for a shark to tear off Paul de Gelder's right hand and leg. It was 2009, and the Australian Navy bomb disposal diver had been conducting counter-terrorism exercises in Sydney Harbour. While swimming alongside the naval base, de Gelder felt an intense pressure on his leg. When he looked down, he realised a nine-foot bull shark had taken hold of him. 'I was in super murky water with a highly aggressive bull shark,' de Gelder says. 'It probably didn't even see what I was. It tested me out with its teeth, and it turns out I'm a delicious snack.' Thanks to his teammates, who pinched his artery closed with their fingers and used a makeshift life-jacket tourniquet, de Gelder survived the attack, though it left him missing two limbs. For most people, the mere thought of reliving such a traumatic experience would be torturous. Not for de Gelder. He has shared his account of the attack around the globe as a motivational speaker, and also jumped back into the water for another bite – literally. In How to Survive a Shark Attack, a new show released as part of Shark Week on Discovery and HBO Max, de Gelder comes face-to-face with the same creatures that attacked him almost two decades ago, encouraging them to bite him all over again. Not just once, but four times. Loading Using extra-long (and non-toxic) prosthetic limbs, he and a team of safety divers and shark experts provoke the apex predators while scuba-diving, open ocean swimming, kayaking and splashing around the shore. Why on earth would anyone do that? According to de Gelder, it's all in the name of protecting the people who come into contact with sharks and the marine animals themselves. 'There's an immense number of people out there who truly don't know what to do [if attacked] and would go into absolute panic-mode,' he says. 'I'm trying to provide the knowledge to keep people safe.' He hopes the show will remind audiences that sharks have more to fear from us than we have to fear from them. According to The Australian Institute of Marine Science, there are only about 10 deaths attributable to shark attacks worldwide each year. Comparatively, about 150 people die from falling coconuts. Meanwhile, approximately 100 million sharks are killed by humans each year, many of which are targeted for their fins. A survivor's guide to shark attacks Tip one: Try not to panic De Gelder knows how unrealistic this may be to hear – not everyone can stare head-on at a shark and not freak out – but he says remaining as calm as possible can be the difference between life and death. Don't act like prey by splashing and thrashing around your arms and legs. Tip two: Create some distance Use whatever you can – some flippers, a kayak oar – to create distance between yourself and the shark. Tip three: Face the shark head on In a worst-case scenario, show the shark you're a predator by striking out at the last moment with your arm, pushing the top of its head (not its jaw) away as firmly as you can. Remember: don't punch the shark. Tip four: S top any bleeding and get help If you've been bitten, use whatever is at your disposal as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. Make it as tight as possible. This will only be a temporary solution, though, so make sure you seek help as soon as you can. Most shark attacks are what de Gelder classes as 'provoked'. For example, spear fishers are sometimes attacked because they're competing for the shark's food. Most of the time, however, de Gelder says sharks aren't interested in humans. Instead, they're usually intent on mating and eating. 'This is a celebration of all things shark. Yes, we do experiments, we do some stunts. But we celebrate sharks,' de Gelder says. 'That's what it's all about – to try and get people to fall in love with these animals so they'll want to protect them.' Loading De Gelder has been involved in Shark Week – an annual week-long programming block of shark content on the Discovery Channel (and available to stream on HBO Max) – for a decade now, with over 20 shows under his belt. However, he says How to Survive a Shark Attack has been the most confronting yet. Despite the various safety measures in place, including an entire crew of safety divers, there was inevitably going to be a degree of uncontrollability when throwing bait into a shiver of frenzied sharks. At one point, de Gelder was caught off guard by a reef shark, which bit him near the end of a simulation. Thankfully, it only got his prosthetic arm. 'What you didn't see was there was another shark in the fake blood pool that bit me on the leg at the same time. But I was wearing head-to-toe chainmail … There was never a chance the sharks were going to hurt me,' he says. 'But it was still very dangerous ... We've got four separate [scenarios], but then we had to do each one a couple of times. The one where you saw the tiger shark ripping off my arm – we did that four times to get all the shots.' Beginning in 1987, Shark Week has become a major cultural phenomenon. Last year's block – which was hosted by John Cena – attracted 25 million viewers in the US alone. For something centred entirely on educational documentaries and exaggerated marine thrills, its popularity may be surprising. De Gelder, however, says it makes complete sense. 'Sharks are like these mythological beasts. You hear about them, but you never see them,' he says. 'Tens of millions of people in the middle of America rarely travel to the beach, and are even less likely to see a shark if they go. So, there's this real fascination with this living dinosaur, unicorn, mythological beast … This is their only opportunity, not just to see them, but to see us interacting with them.' Loading Though Shark Week hasn't yet taken hold of Australia the way it has the US, de Gelder believes the country is primed for this kind of material given how many deadly creatures reside on this land, as well as the popularity of local shows like Australia's Deadliest. The ability to stream Shark Week on HBO Max at any time will also surely help pull in new audiences, he says. There's plenty of great shark content beyond Discovery too, de Gelder notes, including films like Deep Blue Sea and The Meg, for which he interviewed Jason Statham. (When asked if he would consider himself Australia's Statham, he humbly said he'd 'never be so bold'). Despite his commitment to protecting sharks and their ecosystem, he still can't resist occasionally watching an ocean bloodbath. 'People hate on these scary shark movies, like they're villainising sharks. I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about people who can't separate reality from fiction. It's just a movie, dude.' As for when his own encounters with sharks will come to an end, de Gelder simply says he has come this far, 'why stop now?'
The Age
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
This Aussie was attacked by a shark. Now he's recreating it so you can watch
Eight seconds. That's all it took for a shark to tear off Paul de Gelder's right hand and leg. It was 2009, and the Australian Navy bomb disposal diver had been conducting counter-terrorism exercises in Sydney Harbour. While swimming alongside the naval base, de Gelder felt an intense pressure on his leg. When he looked down, he realised a nine-foot bull shark had taken hold of him. 'I was in super murky water with a highly aggressive bull shark,' de Gelder says. 'It probably didn't even see what I was. It tested me out with its teeth, and it turns out I'm a delicious snack.' Thanks to his teammates, who pinched his artery closed with their fingers and used a makeshift life-jacket tourniquet, de Gelder survived the attack, though it left him missing two limbs. For most people, the mere thought of reliving such a traumatic experience would be torturous. Not for de Gelder. He has shared his account of the attack around the globe as a motivational speaker, and also jumped back into the water for another bite – literally. In How to Survive a Shark Attack, a new show released as part of Shark Week on Discovery and HBO Max, de Gelder comes face-to-face with the same creatures that attacked him almost two decades ago, encouraging them to bite him all over again. Not just once, but four times. Loading Using extra-long (and non-toxic) prosthetic limbs, he and a team of safety divers and shark experts provoke the apex predators while scuba-diving, open ocean swimming, kayaking and splashing around the shore. Why on earth would anyone do that? According to de Gelder, it's all in the name of protecting the people who come into contact with sharks and the marine animals themselves. 'There's an immense number of people out there who truly don't know what to do [if attacked] and would go into absolute panic-mode,' he says. 'I'm trying to provide the knowledge to keep people safe.' He hopes the show will remind audiences that sharks have more to fear from us than we have to fear from them. According to The Australian Institute of Marine Science, there are only about 10 deaths attributable to shark attacks worldwide each year. Comparatively, about 150 people die from falling coconuts. Meanwhile, approximately 100 million sharks are killed by humans each year, many of which are targeted for their fins. A survivor's guide to shark attacks Tip one: Try not to panic De Gelder knows how unrealistic this may be to hear – not everyone can stare head-on at a shark and not freak out – but he says remaining as calm as possible can be the difference between life and death. Don't act like prey by splashing and thrashing around your arms and legs. Tip two: Create some distance Use whatever you can – some flippers, a kayak oar – to create distance between yourself and the shark. Tip three: Face the shark head on In a worst-case scenario, show the shark you're a predator by striking out at the last moment with your arm, pushing the top of its head (not its jaw) away as firmly as you can. Remember: don't punch the shark. Tip four: S top any bleeding and get help If you've been bitten, use whatever is at your disposal as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. Make it as tight as possible. This will only be a temporary solution, though, so make sure you seek help as soon as you can. Most shark attacks are what de Gelder classes as 'provoked'. For example, spear fishers are sometimes attacked because they're competing for the shark's food. Most of the time, however, de Gelder says sharks aren't interested in humans. Instead, they're usually intent on mating and eating. 'This is a celebration of all things shark. Yes, we do experiments, we do some stunts. But we celebrate sharks,' de Gelder says. 'That's what it's all about – to try and get people to fall in love with these animals so they'll want to protect them.' Loading De Gelder has been involved in Shark Week – an annual week-long programming block of shark content on the Discovery Channel (and available to stream on HBO Max) – for a decade now, with over 20 shows under his belt. However, he says How to Survive a Shark Attack has been the most confronting yet. Despite the various safety measures in place, including an entire crew of safety divers, there was inevitably going to be a degree of uncontrollability when throwing bait into a shiver of frenzied sharks. At one point, de Gelder was caught off guard by a reef shark, which bit him near the end of a simulation. Thankfully, it only got his prosthetic arm. 'What you didn't see was there was another shark in the fake blood pool that bit me on the leg at the same time. But I was wearing head-to-toe chainmail … There was never a chance the sharks were going to hurt me,' he says. 'But it was still very dangerous ... We've got four separate [scenarios], but then we had to do each one a couple of times. The one where you saw the tiger shark ripping off my arm – we did that four times to get all the shots.' Beginning in 1987, Shark Week has become a major cultural phenomenon. Last year's block – which was hosted by John Cena – attracted 25 million viewers in the US alone. For something centred entirely on educational documentaries and exaggerated marine thrills, its popularity may be surprising. De Gelder, however, says it makes complete sense. 'Sharks are like these mythological beasts. You hear about them, but you never see them,' he says. 'Tens of millions of people in the middle of America rarely travel to the beach, and are even less likely to see a shark if they go. So, there's this real fascination with this living dinosaur, unicorn, mythological beast … This is their only opportunity, not just to see them, but to see us interacting with them.' Loading Though Shark Week hasn't yet taken hold of Australia the way it has the US, de Gelder believes the country is primed for this kind of material given how many deadly creatures reside on this land, as well as the popularity of local shows like Australia's Deadliest. The ability to stream Shark Week on HBO Max at any time will also surely help pull in new audiences, he says. There's plenty of great shark content beyond Discovery too, de Gelder notes, including films like Deep Blue Sea and The Meg, for which he interviewed Jason Statham. (When asked if he would consider himself Australia's Statham, he humbly said he'd 'never be so bold'). Despite his commitment to protecting sharks and their ecosystem, he still can't resist occasionally watching an ocean bloodbath. 'People hate on these scary shark movies, like they're villainising sharks. I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about people who can't separate reality from fiction. It's just a movie, dude.' As for when his own encounters with sharks will come to an end, de Gelder simply says he has come this far, 'why stop now?'
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Paul de Gelder survived a shark attack. Now, he's intentionally experiencing it all over again.
Shark Week's How to Survive a Shark Attack features de Gelder simulating four shark attacks, all in the name of teaching us how to be safer in the ocean. Loading
The Age
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Paul de Gelder survived a shark attack. Now, he's intentionally experiencing it all over again.
Shark Week's How to Survive a Shark Attack features de Gelder simulating four shark attacks, all in the name of teaching us how to be safer in the ocean.
Courier-Mail
6 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
