Thirty seconds of horror
Late Sunday night, East Coast Australia. A cloudy afternoon at Lords, London. Blue skies, blue water and pumping waves at J-Bay. Armchair sportsman’s paradise.
Channel-chopping between Michael Clarke putting the Poms back in for the final get-even kill in the Second Test, and the Aussies soaring through the semis, I am reminded of Goodwin Towers, Burleigh Heads, all those years ago – watching from the balcony as MP and Bugs thread the needle cove to beach in that amazing first Stubbies, while swivelling to watch on the TV as David Hookes belts Tony Greig for five consecutive boundaries in the Centenary Test.
But these are the ruminations of an old man in dressing gown and slippers, up way after bedtime with a cup of cocoa by his side. I flip over from the cricket as Fanning takes charge of the second semi, leaving Kelly scratching at the end. So now it’s an all-Aussie final, with the two form surfers of the event doing battle for the yellow jersey in waves that are sporadic now, but still running hard and fast. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Palpable excitement at contest HQ. Pottz is on Julian and so am I, but the rest of the world seems to think Mick, the defending champion, is too fast and strong. With the breeze on his tail, Jules will find it hard to elevate, so that levels the playing field a bit, but he’s looked the goods in every heat I’ve seen, just hope he hasn’t peaked.
Jules swoops and fires down the line – does anyone say draws first blood? – but muffs the end and it probably won’t be a keeper. As he paddles back up the point, the focus is back on Fanning as a set approaches.
Mick peers out to sea and appears to be in two minds about his take-off position. Joey Turpel is babbling on about the rankings when he suddenly says in a sombre monotone, “You can see a little splash”. You can. It can’t be, can it?
Then Mick is kicking and ducking and weaving, casting an anxious glance over his shoulder as a fin – no, two fins – follow him, lunging at board and body. And then a wave, maybe one that Mick would have taken, obstructs our view, and for long seconds we are in no-man’s land.
Half a world away, on a cold night in Noosa, I don’t think I will ever forget those few moments of not knowing, imagination running wild. So this is what it’s like. Here one minute, lunch the next. Too terrible to contemplate.
But here he is, scratching for the jet ski, then the patrol boat, signalling he’s okay. Scrambling into the boat, Jules by his side, Peter Mel in shock and trying to make light. Everyone in shock, on the beach, in the broadcast studio, around the world. Renato Hickel close to tears as he stands in for Keiren, and he’s not the only one.
Kliney sensibly shuts down the show before the tears become a flood, before the emotion takes its toll on every one.
Switching off the TV and heading to bed for a restless night, I ponder what just happened. There will be a million views of that 30 seconds of horror by morning, and the talk shows will overflow with tales of sharks and derring do. But we are in uncharted water here. We have seen the unthinkable almost happen. It will take a while to get over that. //PHIL JARRATT
Comments
Phil, I was watching realised what was happening and was waiting in horror for the blood to appear in the water. An unforgettable moment!
I'm shuddering just thinking about the image....Phil Jarratt in slippers and gown.
haha thank God that wasn't broadcast .
Well written Phil. Maybe more appropriate if you take on the title 'PaPa Phil' these days.
We will see the mass media milk this for all its worth. However what we should recognise is the significant emotional wearing this will have not only on those two men in the water, yet those of us more widely associated with identifying with them. It has been 15 years, 4 months and 1 week since a shark attack on my close friends at Cactus and I'm yet to swing that steering wheel left at Port Augusta again.
What was perfectly understandable was the reaction of Julian Wilson. Emotional and emotive would hardly do it justice. Julian saw, what we hope we never see, the potential loss of a friend to the man in the grey suit we all accept we have to share his office with. It is at this point we recognise our 'tribe' we call surfers are a little different. All battle shields are laid down, spears dropped and term 'competitor' removed. As much as we love the ocean and the battle we take on in the waves, formally or otherwise, nothing is more important that the safety of each other.
Julian's sincere response I hope signifies to the WSL that this is more than 'an event or incident' (in the corporate language). Psychological support will be needed immediately and for some time. Competitive surfing has changed today at every level. There was pre J-Bay 2015 and now post J-Bay 2015...of which we are yet to realise.
I, as I have no doubt all surfers recognise, that there may be some light heartedness in our (masuculine) response. However the real fact is we nearly lost a life in ways as terrifying as our nightmares as young, or not so young, surfers envisage.
Very well written U-turn.
So true.
Nice on Phil and U-turn - it changed me.
A few heats before the final, the missus and I were talking about how a shark attack would go down - would the shark be likely to be spotted, how would people react, would it be televised or would they cut away - all that stuff. Then, wallowing in the wake of it all, we just stared at each other in fey disbelief.
So glad Mick was alright. I feel like we all got away with something.
All of the above. For that few seconds my heart was in my mouth. When I saw the splashing I was yelling 'No No' to nobody in particular at the time.
The interviews this morning had me in tears. I'm so happy for both of them.
I have said it numerous times, but I'd have to say that's one of the heaviest things I've ever seen.
Absolutely agree, i was yelling at the skis to get him outa there, as if they could hear me, and that wave was just blocking what was happening. I was freaking out, pretty traumatic. I mean, for non-surfers, it'd be like watching Roger Federer getting attacked by a dinosaur in the middle of Wimbledon final?
It was emotional watching the interviews too. It's a very serious event, psychologically, for them both, and fully agree with U-Turn, really hope the WSL helps them both out with professional counselling, not just milk this publicity. They've responded very well so far, with empathy and quick action.
So stoked he's ok. He (and we) are very lucky.
It takes courage to punch a shark away that could bite you in half in a second. It takes heroism to paddle straight towards the drama with no thought for your own safety. Julian Wilson, thinking only to help his comrade, showed this rare quality. Afterwards, his only genuine concern was that he might not have got there in time to help his mate. Hats off to Julian Wilson, a very fine young man.
Yes I remember seeing Jaws when I was 15 and it was like reliving it live all these years later. Geez Mick was lucky, and Jules was terrific. I was doing a Phil as well (sans PJ's still in day wear) and just about to check the Cricket when it happened. At first I thought that isn't a dolphin and then Whoa its a frigging shark get outta there quick.
Mick had to do what he had to with no choice. His turn around to face it after the swim was gutsy and the right thing to do.
Julian saw it all and had choices. He chose to paddle 50 metres at full speed straight to Mick with the shark still there without the visual sense that the boats were coming to help. It was him, Mick and the shark as far as he saw it. At the end the boats swept away his role a bit. But for 30 seconds he was very gutsy and totally unprotected as he headed in to help.
His interview afterwards was such a pure "help a mate in trouble" reaction.
Proud of them both.
Makes you realise how much you love and respect those guys!
For fellow surfers, it makes me think of the brotherhood/sisterhood we all feel towards each other. Seeing Mick in that unimaginable situation, and Julian's stoic response makes me ponder and think what my own actions would be. It really cuts home when you think of the helplessness of Mick's situation, and the sheer luck that he came out unhurt. No doubt his response to the attack saved his life.
Are you kidding ,brotherhood ,respect, those pricks would fuck your mother .
htfu,just another 1st world problemget over it !!
Can anyone remember Eric Gieselmans scary 2009 encounter in California
3min vid still on Surfline.