Surfers Dispute Mystery Sea Creature at Crowded Surf Break in Australia
Once upon a time in surfing, shark sightings were fleeting.
A quick glimpse of a shadow, water warping the view of the reef, or hell, just a surfer's own spooked imagination, and that was it.
Either way, whether real or imagined, it was over quickly and witnessed by just one person. Sharks, one could say, were in the eye of the beholder. "That one time I saw a shark," became a gem of a surfing story for years to come.
But times have changed.
Shark footage is a regular thing now. So clear, so obvious, leaving no room for that old, "no way, not right here."
Except for the clip above.
Gold Coast photographer Huw Williams posted the video a few days ago at Australia's Snapper Rocks and captioned it:
"Shark or Dolphin? We’ll never know for sure what was cruising thru the lineup on Sunday morning Photo credit: @coastal_content"
The clip shows a crowded Snapper Rocks lineup on a sunny day with crystal clear water.
Suddenly, a big shadowy figure swims through the lineup and eventually disappears into the back of a wave.
Williams and two other surfers noticed it.
"But the rest of the crowded lineup was oblivious to what we had just witnessed," he said.
The debate over what it was got a little heated in the comments. Viewers had different suggestions:
"1000% the Megalodon "
"It’s a merman."
"It’s Billy Idol."
"Obviously a Russian Submarine!!"
"It’s a Chinese mini-sub, no doubt about it. 100% legit"
"It’s actually a shark, believe it or not, they live and swim in the ocean"
"If it was a shark you’d see its tail moving side to side, it’s a Dugong"
"It was a big ass shark, lucky he didn't nibble on anyone's toes"
Finally, one viewer settled it:
"He's a rare bottle-nosed dolphin from Miami. Trust me, I'm a pet detective."
***
Don't miss another headline from SURFER! Subscribe to our newsletter, follow us on Instagram, and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of surfing. We're always on the lookout for amusing, interesting and engaging surf-related videos to feature on our channels.
Whether you're a professional surfer or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on SURFER and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality surf videos.
