A diver whose dad was savaged to death in a shark attack has encountered eight of the animals in a feeding frenzy around a whale carcass – but claims it hasn’t put him off going in the water.
New Zealand father-of-two Barry Watkins, 47, was just five years old when his dad John Leith died on a beach in Te Kaha in 1976, after a bronze whaler shark ripped off his leg while he spear-fished.
But the diving instructor insists he wasn’t scared as he filmed eight huge tiger sharks – the largest five metres – off the coast of Garden Island in Western Australia.
A diver whose father was savaged to death in a shark attack encountered eight of the animals in a feeding frenzy around a whale carcass on Sunday
The huge tiger sharks – the largest estimated at five metres – were spotted off the coast of Garden Island in Western Australia
Instead, the power station controller who now lives in Perth, WA, said he felt privileged to witness the ocean predators feed on the body of the dead whale.
Mr Watkins, who grew up in Tokoroa in New Zealand’s North Island, said: ‘We were cruising along and I saw a white-coloured structure in the water about 100 metres in front of me.’
‘At first I thought it was a partially submerged hull, but as we got closer I realised it was part of a whale.
‘When I saw the sharks, I thought ‘wow”.’
He filmed the footage around midday last Sunday when he ventured out to check his crayfish pots with Michelle and his brother-in-law.
The trio were approximately 15km from the shore and about 5km from Garden Island when they witnessed the spectacle and spent about 15 minutes watching.
New Zealand father-of-two Barry Watkins (left), 47, was just five years old when his dad John Leith (right) died on a beach in Te Kaha in 1976, after a bronze whaler shark ripped off his leg while he spear-fished.
The power station controller, who now lives in Perth, said he felt privileged to witness the ocean predators feed on the dead whale
Mr Watkins filmed the footage when he ventured out to check on his crayfish pots with his wife Michelle (pictured) and his brother-in-law
Mr Watkins said there were about eight tiger sharks of various sizes, with the biggest almost as long as his 5.4 metre boat.
‘They weren’t being aggressive but were grazing and coming up and taking bites,’ he said.
‘My wife was absolutely terrified – she would not stand too close to the edge of the boat.
‘I wasn’t scared, I was just enjoying the sight really. I have never seen anything like that before. I felt very privileged to be able to film it.’
Mr Watkins said he did not feel any ‘animosity’ towards the animals and was not angry with them despite his history.
‘As a dive instructor I have never worried about sharks but I definitely did feel a lot safer in the boat,’ he said.
Mr Watkins said there were about eight tiger sharks of various sizes, with the biggest almost as long as his 5.4 metre boat
‘I wasn’t scared, I was just enjoying the sight really. I have never seen anything like that before,’ the father-of-two said of the feeding frenzy
Mr Watkins said he did not feel any ‘animosity’ towards the animals and was not angry with them despite his history
‘Looking at the way they bit that meat I realised those teeth would definitely tear human flesh to pieces.’
Mr Watkin’s father John was just 27 when he was bitten in January 1976 while spear fishing, with the event marking one of a only a handful of fatal shark attacks ever recorded in New Zealand waters.
A bronze whaler bit him once in the calf and again in his inner thigh in 30ft of water, with the father rushed to shore but passing away on the beach.
Mr Watkins added: ‘I was only five when my dad was killed – I was on the beach and I remember my mum crying.
‘Some people think sharks should be culled and if there is one regularly attacking people that has developed a taste for human blood then it has got to go, but how do you know which one it is?
‘While we watched them I was more concerned about them damaging the boat’s motor by chewing it.’
Mr Watkin’s father John was just 27 when he was bitten in January 1976 while spear fishing, with the event marking one of a only a handful of fatal shark attacks ever recorded in New Zealand waters
A bronze whaler bit him once in the calf and again in his inner thigh in 30ft of water, with the father rushed to shore but passing away on the beach