Kiama man survives shark encounter in shallow water

A brave young father has escaped a frightening encounter with a bull shark which left him with deep puncture wounds to his foot and lower leg.

Adam Hoare, 35, was injured by the two-metre man-eater after taking his young children to a beach on Thursday in Kiama, south of Sydney.

He had just sent his kids, aged three and six, back to shore when the shark knocked him off his feet in shallow waters at Surf beach, Illawarra Mercury reported.   

Adam Hoare believes he was not bitten, just hit by what felt like a sledgehammer in the leg when he encountered a shark in a beach near Kiama, New South Wales 

‘I felt like I was hit with a sledgehammer in the leg. It was like falling on a slippery rock, it was that solid,’ he said.

Mr Hoare told the publication the whole ordeal was over in two or three seconds. 

‘It just sort of went underneath and it was gone… ‘I was like ”my foot’s still there, so it’s all good”,’ he said.

Luckily, his two children Matthew, six, and April, three, were unharmed.  

Adam Hoare received five puncture wounds (pictured) but believes he was not bitten, only hit by the shark.

Adam Hoare received five puncture wounds (pictured) but believes he was not bitten, only hit by the shark.

Just a few minutes prior to the shark encounter, he had been holding April in the exact same location the shark punctured him.

His children went back to shore and Mr Hoare stayed in, diving under two waves.  

Large tuna fish were swimming in the water and Mr Hoare believes was targeting the fish, not him. 

Lifeguards and ambulance officers  treated Mr Hoare at the scene and he was sent to the local hospital for further treatment. 



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