ENCOUNTER WITH A GREAT WHITE
Adventure Magazine|April 2020
Anyone who knows our editor well, knows he has a knack of telling a great tale. So when he called in a panic to say he'd just been chased by a Great White, I must admit, I sort of didn't really believe him. But when I saw him an hour later and he was still shaking, I began to think that this may have been true. I'll let Steve tell the story and you can decide for yourself...
Steve Dickinson
ENCOUNTER WITH A GREAT  WHITE
Yes, I know they are always there. Yes, I know there has never been an East Coast fatal shark attack in the North Island.

BUT – while fishing off Stanmore Bay Point (not long before the lockdown), a popular area just as the tide turned, I was ‘investigated’ by a 2.5+ meter great white. I don’t have a fear of sharks, I have dived with them extensively in Tahiti and Fiji and even photographed Great Whites in Tasmania, but I do have a deep respect for them and the role they play.

I have seen bigger sharks but from a boat not in a kayak. In a kayak you are really exposed, and very close to their level.

I heard him before I saw him. I saw him approach from the right-hand side. At which point I slashed at him with my rod accompanied by a range of expletives – made no difference. It was like being approached by a couch; his length was less intimidating than his girth.

This story is from the April 2020 edition of Adventure Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the April 2020 edition of Adventure Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM ADVENTURE MAGAZINEView All
Papua New Guinea
Adventure Magazine

Papua New Guinea

Four reasons to add Papua New Guinea to your bucket list

time-read
3 mins  |
August 2021
The benefits of being a Multi-Trick Pony
Adventure Magazine

The benefits of being a Multi-Trick Pony

"A broad skill base and how you can draw from one platform to the next – women often pigeon hole themselves"

time-read
7 mins  |
August 2021
The RELUCTANT adventurer
Adventure Magazine

The RELUCTANT adventurer

An eighteen-year-old princess, who paints his (yes, his) nails and dyes his hair bleach blonde, embarking on an adventure trip with his family, sounds like a plot for a bad 80s movie.

time-read
8 mins  |
August 2021
The Meaning of Tramping
Adventure Magazine

The Meaning of Tramping

What does tramping mean to you?

time-read
6 mins  |
August 2021
Keala Kennelly owns Red Bull Magnitude
Adventure Magazine

Keala Kennelly owns Red Bull Magnitude

The North Shore season of 1957 is recognized in the surfing world as the start of an era. When Greg Noll, a young Mickey Munoz and company went out and rode Waimea for the first time, it was a glimpse of what could be in the world of big-wave surfing.

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2021
North West Circuit Stewart Island
Adventure Magazine

North West Circuit Stewart Island

I found myself in limbo during the winter of 2020, in between jobs in a strained covid economy. And so, I did what any outdoors person would do with a large amount of free time on their hands. It was time to pack up my belongings and hit the road. It was time to leave behind home comforts and go adventure-seeking.

time-read
9 mins  |
August 2021
Emilie's adventure to Angelus Hut
Adventure Magazine

Emilie's adventure to Angelus Hut

“I want to be the leader!” Miss Six announced, pushing past me in her determination to be in front. Momentarily off-balance with my heavy pack, I narrowly avoided twisting an ankle on the sharp rocks and silently swore while cracking a bright smile.

time-read
7 mins  |
August 2021
Nancy Jiang Breaking stereotypes
Adventure Magazine

Nancy Jiang Breaking stereotypes

I recently watched a youtube movie entitled, “Her Way” (check it out on the Adventure Website) which introduced a woman who had an overwhelming passion for running. The preface at the bottom of the clip, read as follows:

time-read
4 mins  |
August 2021
Adversity at Altitude
Adventure Magazine

Adversity at Altitude

The wind and snow is whipping at my face. I’ve readjusted the stiff frozen fleece buff around my neck and mouth, desperately trying to protect myself from the -20 degree bitter wind. Adrenaline is still pumping through my body but I know I’ll start to get cold soon.

time-read
10 mins  |
August 2021
Last Great Mountaineering Challenge
Adventure Magazine

Last Great Mountaineering Challenge

Ground-breaking mountaineer Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja MBE has attained an incredible new world record by submitting K2 as part of a collaborative team in the depths of winter. Until now, it was a record that was believed to be impossible to accomplish and was famously known as the ‘last great mountaineering challenge’.

time-read
2 mins  |
February - March 2021