Gold Coast surf identity Andrew McKinnon details his own encounters with sharks

Homemade shark bells and an ominous red towel to signal when fins were spotted in the water. Andrew McKinnon details life before shark nets on Gold Coast beaches. SUBSCRIBE TO READ MORE

SHARK attacks are every surfer’s secret fear and most of us live in denial that it can happen to us.

The recent tragic death of Rob Pedretti at Kingscliff is a grim reminder that it can happen at any time without warning.

I have spoken to local surfers at Casuarina who were surfing at that spot earlier that day and didn’t see the shark.

MORE SPORT

‘CHRISO’S CORNER’: A YEAR ON FROM CRICKETER’S DEATH

‘THERE WERE 10 SHARKS JUMPING’: SHOCK FOR COAST SURFER

Why do certain sharks go rogue and attack when there’s footage of divers playing with sharks and say they are friendly?

When I lived at Byron Bay in the early 80s, I remember the Sunday morning when Marty Ford was taken by a shark at Cosy Corner, Tallows Beach.

A surfers sprints towards the water after the beaches re opened. Picture: Tertius Pickard

I was headed to Tallows myself but changed my mind and chose the Pass instead.

I grew up surfing at Mermaid Beach in the early 60s well before the shark nets were used.

My parents had a beachfront property and it was easy to go surfing by walking out the front door and down the beach.

MORE COAST SHARK NEWS

WARNING: Kingscliff authorities’ fear

THE DRUMLINE DEBATE: What’s next?

NO NETS: 51 beaches are protected

Although shark attacks had been prolific especially at Surfers Paradise beach where there had been some horrific attacks in the holiday season.

Despite the scare, my mates and I would go surfing no matter what. So, my Mum purchased a shark bell to be placed on the veranda deck and if she sighted a shark would ring the bell to alert us and everyone else on the beach.

World Surfing Reserve Gold Coast ambassador Cheyne Horan, WSRGC Chairman Andrew McKinnon, Global Wave Conference key speaker Nev Hyman, Queensland Minister Sport and surfer Mick de Brenni and former world champion and WSRGC patron Wayne 'Rabbit' Bartholomew and the official launch of the Global Wave Conference at Currumbin Alley. Photo: SCOTT POWICK

For extra measure, Mum used coloured towels as a warning and would drape a red towel on the veranda railing if there was a shark in the line-up.

I never saw a shark attack at Mermaid Beach, but I notice plenty of sharks cruising by. Sometimes that would come in really close and get caught in the inside gutters on low tide. Our next-door neighbour Basil Noonan would chase them back into the ocean with a paddle oar. Basil became the first shark net contractor for the Gold Coast when the nets were introduced in the early 70s.

CLUBBIE CONFIDENTIAL: Surf lifesaving gossip and rumour

While I believe that the nets have been a deterrent although not 100 shark proof, I agree with the removal of shark nets during the winter whale migration period to eliminate catching whales and other marine life. Sharks attacks are tragic with loss of human life but as surfers we are aware that the ocean is their habitat and hopefully, we can find a safe solution to co habitat without fear and favour. I applaud the Qld State Governments suggestion to lift the nets during the winter season but lifting the nets all year round is a worry.