An Auckland surfer who was attacked by a great white shark at a popular Coromandel beach on the weekend has appeared on Seven Sharp to describe how he survived the frightening run-in.
Nick Minogue had been surfing for two hours at Pauanui Beach when the encounter happened.
"I was just paddling along hoping to come in soon and got hit on the side of the arm and didn’t really know what it was," Mr Minogue said.
"The next thing I know there was a shark chomped over the front section of my board with its big head and eye looking back at me.
"Without thinking too much about it I shouted and aimed a punch at its eye, but I missed and hit about 10 centimetres behind it so I pulled my fist back, shouted again then punched its eye which rolled up its protective coating."
It disengaged from the board after the second well aimed strike and swam away, with its dorsal fin brushing Mr Minogue as it went past.
Mr Minogue then paddled back into shore, unscathed except for a cut on his arm.
The keen surfer says he plans on getting straight back on the board when he heads down to Dunedin later this week on a surf trip with mates.
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