ALAN Saunders considers himself very lucky, knowing he has escaped with relatively minor injuries after being bitten by an 11 foot (3.3 metre) grey nurse shark on Sunday.
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"We were helping out the crew next to us," Alan recalls.
"They had a couple of sharks caught in their net. We were busy trying to free them when a bigger shark charged in from behind me."
Alan remembers lying on the beach and realising there were still children in the water.
"I was worried for them. One of the lifesavers quickly ran off to get everyone out of the water." (See story page 2)
Alan was taken by helicopter to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle. As they rose high above the water he heard one of the pilots comment on the number of sharks in the water below.
"I could hear them, they were amazed. One said, look at all the sharks down there."
According to the size of the bite, the shark was definitely over three metres.
"It grabbed both my legs in one bite - from the knee to the ankle. I don't think it bit down properly because it didn't go in too deep.
"It could have been a lot worse. It missed my main arteries and everything, except for around my ankle. It made a bit of a mess down there," Alan said.
Alan had an hour-long operation on Sunday night to repair the damage and to remove a shark tooth embedded in his bone.
"I don't think there'll be permanent damage. It's just going to be inconvenient as I won't be able to work for a while," he said.
Hospital staff were keeping a close eye on him overnight and prior to him being sent home for follow up treatment at Manning Hospital.
"They are pumping me full of antibiotics in case of a marine infection, which can be bad," Alan said.
As a fisherman Alan is concerned by the number of sharks coming in closer to shore, but he said this time of year is always dangerous for sharks.
"From April to the end of May each year there are migrating schools of mullet and salmon coming up the east coast, so it's particularly dangerous," he said.
Alan would like to see signs erected that warn the general public of the seasonal shark danger, particularly around popular swimming spots.
"People need to be especially careful after rain too, as sharks are sneaky and love murky water."
Alan and his wife Deb have been heartened by the hundreds of well-wishing messages they have received.
"I never knew I had so many friends. It's so nice to know people care.
"People from all up and down the coast have been leaving us messages," Alan said.
