In response, local electrician Hamish Anderson jumped into action to save a stranded suspected great white shark. The shark was washed ashore at Ardrossan on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula. The confrontation came just minutes after he had dropped his kids off at school. Anderson observed a young, local crowd gathered at the surf break. After receiving the call, he rushed home to change into board shorts and a rash guard before returning to help with the rescue.
The shark was between two-and-a-half to three metres long. It was apprehended in water that went up to its midsection. Fortunately, the water was at a shallow enough level when Anderson and two other local Good Samaritans arrived that they were able to help. This created an especially fragile state of affairs.
The Rescue Effort
In making that decision, Anderson and the other two locals who joined her were deeply deliberate. Anderson jumped up onto a downed tree. Every five to 10 minutes, he waited, looking for the shark to dislodge itself.
“I stood up the top for five, 10 minutes and just [checked] whether it was going to free itself,” – Hamish Anderson.
When it was clear that the shark needed help, they tried to move it. Anderson described the process, stating, “It was a bit hard to get it off the sandbank itself but the deeper the water, the easier it got.”
Unfortunately for their altruistic efforts, the shark didn’t just swim off after being released.
“It never tried to turn around or anything like that. It sort of just let us help it,” – Hamish Anderson.
Observations and Ongoing Checks
After the shark was successfully released, you can see the shark sitting suspended in the water. Anderson became very concerned with the shark’s wellbeing. His obsession became a daily routine of refreshing the screen to see that it wasn’t going back into shallow waters.
“I kept on checking through the day, when I could, to make sure it wasn’t coming back in,” – Hamish Anderson.
Due to heavy rains and the fact that the tide was outgoing at the time of the attack, habitat conditions were particularly poor for the shark. Anderson explained that when it stopped its fight, he knew he had to step in.
“The tide was on the way out, so not a great situation for it to be in. And once it stopped fighting I thought, ‘We better get down there and give it a hand’,” – Hamish Anderson.
Reporting Shark Incidents
The Department of Primary Industries and Regions encourages individuals to report any observations of sharks stranded or dying in shallow waters. They are encouraged to do this through the 24-hour Fishwatch hotline number 1800 065 522.
According to Anderson and his fellow rusted residents, the primary lesson here is the need for community involvement in wildlife rescue efforts. Their quick actions probably made the difference in this shark surviving to thrive in the wild.
