Mark Sanguinetti: Palm Beach paddle out surf tribute for heroic shark attack victim
Mark Sanguinetti, the Bilgola Plateau man who heroically warned others of a shark as he was being fatally attacked, has been remembered by family and friends in an emotional beach tribute.
Manly
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Family and friends of heroic fatal shark attack victim Mark Sanguinetti have honoured the passionate surfer in an emotional ‘paddle out’ tribute at a Sydney beach.
More than 60 of those closest to the devoted father — including his two daughters — paddled through the break at Palm Beach on surf boards, paddle boards and bodyboards at about 10.15am on Friday to honour his memory.
About another 100 people, many of them clutching bouquets of flowers, lined the rocks and the edge of the ocean pool at “Kiddies Corner”, at the south end of the beach, to watch the traditional surfers’ farewell ceremony.
Mr Sanguinetti, 59, a retired international pilot with Qantas, was a regular surfer at Palm Beach and the north end of Avalon Beach.
He died last Tuesday soon after he was bitten by what experts say was a monster 4.5m great white while surfing on the NSW mid-north coast. He was on an annual holiday with a group of friends at Tuncurry Beach.
After the fatal attack, Mr Sanguinetti was hailed a hero by police for yelling out a warning to his mates as he was struck by the massive shark.
During Friday’s paddle out ceremony, led by his daughters Bella and Jemima, the surfers gathered in a circle, on their boards, about 200m metres form the beach.
Many of the paddlers carried single stemmed flowers tucked into their wetsuits.
After a moment’s silence one of Mr Sanguinetti’s daughter’s broke into the song — “Hey Baby” (Ooh Aah).
The 60-plus surfers then linked arms and gave “three cheers for Mark” before the flowers were tossed to the centre of the ring.
One of Mr Sanguinetti’s friends, Dan Fahey of Avalon, said the paddle out was organised as a traditional send off for surfers.
“It’s a way to honour a surfer’s memory,” Mr Fahey said.
“Jemima said a few words about her dad. Then when the girls started singing, it really added to the mood of remembering Mark’s life.
“There was no sadness out there.”
Mr Fahey said after the ceremony was finished one of his daughters said “let’s catch a wave for Skitters”.
Another paddle out is planned by local surfers at Tuncurry Beach on Saturday.
In the days after his death his daughters Bella and Jemima shared a written tribute on social media, described their father as “a truly special soul. A kind and generous, thoughtful man, friend and father.
“He saw the light within everyone and every situation.
“He’s home now, in the ocean and in our hearts and he’ll be riding the waves of life with us forever.”
A friend of Mr Sanguinetti, who used to live in the same street as him, said he was a “mad surfer”, a “lovely, lovely man and his daughters were totally and utterly his world”.
The 50-year-old mum said he was a handsome, fit guy and his life was “all about his girls and his dog”.
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