Surf Lifesaving New Zealand is reminding people to be vigilant, but to not be dissuaded from heading into the water.
Dunedin high school students Alexis Owen and Flint Sherborne said they were surfing out at St Clair around 11.15am yesterday.
They were sitting out at the point with a group when what they believed was a 2m-long mako shark began circling them ‘‘before charging towards us as we paddled away’’, Sherborne said.
‘‘It started, like, following us.
‘‘We just got straight out, we weren't messing around with that.’’
Other people reportedly saw a shark earlier that morning too; it apparently even jumped up on to someone’s surfboard while they were out in the water, Sherborne said.
‘‘I was pretty scared.
‘‘I've surfed when there's a shark out there, but I haven't ever seen one, so seeing it was pretty scary.
‘‘It wasn't aggressive or anything — I think it was quite a playful shark.’’
Surfing NZ chairman Jimi Higgins confirmed the shark bell on the Esplanade was rung yesterday morning.
Surfers he had spoken to afterwards were not sure what type of shark it might have been, describing it as grey with a white tummy, and estimating it at about five feet (1.5m) long.
‘‘The surfers all huddled together as a group, and then someone on the beach rang the shark bell, and then they all exited the water when it was safe to do so.
‘‘About 100 [people were] in the water at the time.’’
Surf Lifesaving Otago Southland club support lead Felix Cook said sharks lived in the ocean, so there was always a risk going into their environment which had to be weighed.
It was best to have an awareness about it, but it should not necessarily stop people from going into the water.
‘‘Keep your wits about you.
‘‘Avoid surfing dusk and dawn — that's when they're more likely to be out and have more sort of a feeding mentality.
‘‘If you spot a shark in the water, it's probably the best thing to get out and then wait at least half an hour or so.’’
