Woman attacked by shark at Merimbula on NSW far south coast

An experienced surf life saver has described how she was attacked by a shark on her morning ocean swim at Merimbula. Michele Bootes, 63, is at home recovering after being bitten on the shoulder blade, hip and torso.

A celebrated surf life saver and keen ocean swimmer is recovering at home after being bitten by a shark on the NSW far south coast.

Michele Bootes will spend the next two weeks out of the water, which will be no small feat for a woman who has dedicated her life to the ocean.

The 63-year-old set out on her regular early morning swim at Merimbula with a swimming partner about 6.30am on Saturday.

She told The Sunday Telegraph she was about 900m into a 2km swim around to Main Beach when she felt a forceful strike.

“It was an incoming tide so we jumped in at the spit,” she said.

“The shark came up from behind, I didn’t see if beforehand. But it was funny, all week we’d been swimming through massive schools of fish and right before it hit me, I was thinking ‘where are all the fish’?”

Michele Bootes, 63, is recovering in hospital after being bitten by a shark at Merimbula. Picture: Facebook

The shark caused a wound to Ms Bootes’s shoulder blade, hip and torso.

However, she managed to scream out and alert her swimming partner before making her way to shore.

She said they had been swimming in waist deep water.

“I just screamed and my buddy hadn’t realised what had happened and we swam in,” she said.

Ms Bootes and her friend flagged down a woman on the beach and used her phone to call paramedics.

“We walked across to the oval because I knew it would be easier for the ambulance to get there,” she explained.

The shark bites on Michele Bootes body. Picture: 7News

Ms Bootes is well-known on the Sapphire Coast for her service to Surf Life Saving and was last year awarded the Bega Valley Shire Citizen of the Year.

The volunteer lifesaver has trained most patrol captains at Pambula SLSC and was the brains behind the Same Wave program.

Similar to Nippers, the program helps children with a disability or developmental delay take part in water activities.

Ms Bootes suffers shark bites to her shoulder blade, hip and torso. Picture: 7News

Ms Bootes is a long time member of the Pambula Surf Life Saving Club. Picture: SLSNSW

NSW Ambulance Inspector Bob Whitney said witnesses used towels to apply pressure to Ms Bootes’ wounds until paramedics arrived at Main Beach.

“At about 6.55am we received a call about a person bitten by a shark off Main Beach, Merimbula,” he said.

“We dispatched a crew from Merimbula.

“They were told by onlookers that they noticed, in their own words, a large animal and fins sticking out of the water near the patient.

Despite the close call, Ms Bootes was calm and resolute it wouldn’t stop her from getting back into the ocean.

“No way,” she said.

“I probably won’t swim in the ocean for a little while because there has been a bit of shark activity.”

Main Beach was closed on Saturday after the shark attack.

Ms Bootes, a member of local ocean swim group, Merimbula Merpeople, was taken to South East Regional Hospital in Bega in a stable condition.

After undergoing surgery to remove the saltwater from her wounds, she was released on Saturday afternoon.

Department of Primary Industries officers were trying to establish what kind of shark caused the injury, which spanned 50cm.

Beaches from Wallagoot Lake to Pambula are expected to be closed for 24 hours.