Kelly Slater Encounters Great White While Surfing Lowers

You see a threatening figure in the water, how do you react? By turning and making yourself scarce, or rolling the dice and sitting tight? A while back we ran a poll on the matter. 82% said they’d call it a day, 15% said they’d assess the threat further, while 3% wouldn’t let the apex predator stand between them and “just one more.” Yesterday Kelly Slater was warming up for South Africa when he was confronted with this situation. Via Instagram, he informed his two mil deep social network that he had survived an encounter with a great white while surfing at Lowers. We slid into his DMs to find out more.

“Right on dark I went out and caught one wave,” he told Stab. “As I was paddling back out I just happened to be looking where it jumped and saw the whole breach.” According to Kelly’s original post below, the eight-foot shark surfaced about fifty yards in front of him during yesterday’s evening session, a jolting event to experience you might say. However, seemingly unfazed he stated that he remained in the lineup to catch “a couple more waves.”

The last time the words ‘Kelly Slater’ and ‘shark’ were used in the same sentence, the man had polarised the internet with his statement requesting “a serious cull on Reunion Island.” The resulting shockwaves of which have only just begun to dissipate, excluding Instagram comment pot-shots that continue to litter his posting. Regardless, we back Kelly’s 3% attitude, remaining in the water to continue his preparation program for the nearing J-Bay Open. However, for Southern Californians, the fear remains. 

“It’s Lowers,” Kelly continued. “I don’t think you ever seriously consider it to be sharky somehow even though they’re being seen. Nobody left the water due to the shark, only cause it was getting dark.”