It was crazy.”Deep gashes in the kayak left by the shark. Photo / SuppliedAs his mum began to paddle to the shore, the shark turned around one more time, but after a few more hits from Namioka’s paddle, it began to back off. I just boosted as fast as I could towards the rocks.”The encounter “all happened so fast” as the shark began attacking him within a few seconds of seeing it. Photo / SuppliedNamioka said the orange colour of his kayak may have attracted the shark as it did not attack his mum’s boat, which was a different colour. The encounter has put Namioka off going back out on the water for a few days, he told the Herald.

Source: New Zealand Herald December 24, 2025 22:58 UTC