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NSW: Massive shark menaces kayakers off Sydney


27 Dec 2008 7:59 PM

SYDNEY, Dec 27 AAP - A great white shark has menaced a group of kayakers off Sydney's northern beaches until some quick-thinking fishermen in a tinnie went to their rescue.

The fishermen at first made light of the danger when they spotted the five-metre shark off Long Reef, the Seven Network reported on Saturday.

The fishermen can be heard shouting "great white" and "how's your undies boys" on a tape of the incident before they realise that one of the three kayakers was in the water and raced to his aid.

Kayaker Steve Kulscar was in the water for about a minute.

With the massive shark slowly circling, the other two kayakers lashed their craft to the tinnie and sat out the drama that lasted about 10 minutes.

At one stage the men can be heard saying "look at the size of it, it's bigger than the boat" as the shark edged ever closer until eventually it swam off.

"I want to get his address and send him a case of beer, that's the least I could do," Mr Kulscar told Seven.

"I really should sign the mortgage over."

Another of the kayakers, Justin Stanger, said: "I'm thinking, 'I hope I don't look like a seal or a turtle.

"I'm hoping it's not that hungry."

Meanwhile, the search is continuing for a man feared taken by a shark off the West Australian coast.

Brian Guest, 51, was snorkelling for crabs with his son off their local beach near Rockingham, south of Perth, when he suddenly disappeared from view shortly after 7am (WDT) on Saturday.

His 24-year-old son swam to shore and raised the alarm.

Witnesses told police they saw flashes of fins in the area and the water was coloured by blood.