Kayaker Captures One of the Most Heart-Stopping Shark Attacks Ever Recorded

Kayaking is a great way to experience the great outdoors. Not only does paddling on the water give you a unique perspective of your surroundings, but it’s also an excellent form of exercise. Many locals and tourists in Hawaii choose kayaking as an exciting pastime. 

A viral video of one man’s kayaking experience will make you jump out of your seat! It all starts with a GoPro view of someone fishing in a bright yellow kayak off the coast of Hawaii. Within seconds, a tiger shark appears and nearly takes a bite out of the fisherman! 

Prior to the incident, Scott Haraguchi informed a local news station that he had recently caught a fish while offshore fishing approximately one mile from the island of Oahu. Haraguchi’s foot is just narrowly missed by the shark, which seems to be around the length of the kayak. Instead, the animal bites the side of the vessel.  

Haraguchi yells in panic as the fish immediately submerges beneath the water’s surface. Just after the incident occurred, Haraguchi, who claimed not to be hurt, informed the source that he had seen an injured seal. Perhaps the shark might have thought the kayak was the injured creature. 

Haraguchi added that he considers himself fortunate to be alive and is alarmed by the recent reports of multiple encounters with sharks in the area, notably one of a 20-foot shark the day following this ordeal.

Why Do Sharks Attack Kayaks?

For starters, “attack” is a strong word for what a shark is actually doing in a scenario like we see in the video. Sharks typically inspect things over before making a choice to actually attack. 

This is why they may bump or nibble on boats, surfboards, and even living beings! Sharks utilize their mouths to examine prospective food sources. Sharks typically reject kayaks and even people since sharks consider these to be unappetizing.

Are Tiger Sharks Dangerous?

Tiger sharks are fearsome predators. We know them for devouring almost anything they come across or manage to catch. They are one of the biggest shark species, reaching lengths of up to 18 feet and 2,000 pounds.

The shark gets its name from the distinctly dark, tiger-like markings that run along the body of adolescent tiger sharks. Tiger sharks are primarily nocturnal apex predators which consume a range of prey items. These sharks have the nickname “garbage eaters.” They have this monicker due to occasionally eating unappealing artificial items. It’s not uncommon for non-edible items to hurt the shark’s stomach and intestines.

Tiger sharks are a species with the second-most bites on people, with 36 of those attacks being fatal. In Hawaii, between three and four shark attacks occur annually on average, but they are seldom fatal.

Watch the Video!