Oliver Paterno: Port Macquarie surfer shares shark bites on social media following ‘lucky’ escape
A young surfer is recovering from bites to his leg, foot and fingers following a harrowing shark attack at a Port Macquarie beach. WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES.
Mid-North Coast
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WARNING THIS STORY CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES THAT MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS.
A young boy who was bitten by a whaler shark at Town Beach this week has revealed the ghastly aftermath of his predatory attacker’s damage online.
Oliver Paterno, 12, was paddling above a reef just 30 metres from shore on Monday when a whaler shark set on him, biting his thigh, foot and finger before he managed to scare the animal away.
Paramedics treated him for the bites and transported him to Port Macquarie Hospital. He was released from hospital later that morning.
Now recovering back home with family, the 12-year-old has taken to his Instagram page to share images of his injuries – which include a deep gash to his heel, cuts to his fingers and teeth marks to his thigh.
Posting to his page he said he counted himself “very lucky” not to have a main artery severed, before thanking fellow surfers and first responders who helped him escape the scene with the relatively minor injuries.
“Was a bit unlucky this morning getting bitten by a shark on my heel, thigh and hand/finger,” the 12-year-old wrote.
“Pretty lucky considering that the shark could’ve got my main arteries.
“Massive thanks to @sunriseswimmers @liz_cogger _ @gidget_gidget_gidget_ @paul_holcroft and everyone else that helped out.”
The NSW Department of Primary Industries reported to lifeguards that the shark was most likely a variety of Whaler Shark, which consist of spinner shark, dusky, blacktip, bronze whalers and bull sharks.
They DPI has, however, ruled out the possibility that it was a Bull Shark.
Whaler Sharks are found throughout NSW waters from the upper reaches of estuarine rivers to offshore areas.
They have a maximum size of between 2.5 to 4 metres in length depending on the species, and are often grey to dusky bronze in colour.
The incident is not the first time that has landed Oliver, who seemingly lives a fairly high-octane lifestyle, a trip to hospital.
Images from about three years ago reveal the extent of a serious injury he suffered when he broke his femur during a motocross accident.
He described the unlucky scenario in which he sustained a flat tyre while riding and came off.
Port Macquarie Lifeguard James Turnham described Monday’s shark attack as ”very rare.”
“You don‘t hear of this happening very often but thankfully if a reef shark does bite it doesn’t cause too much damage.”
An aerial surveillance shark data drone, which is usually launched at that time of a morning at Town Beach, was not flying today due to the high winds.
The beach was closed for the day, but reopened on Tuesday.