A surfer in Kauai claims to have literally fought off an attacking shark that chomped onto his board just after he managed to lift his leg from the predator's mouth full of razor-sharp teeth.
When that happened, Sunday at Pila'a Beach near Kilauea, Jeff Horton rolled off of his board and onto the shark, which he briefly rode briefly while unleashing a barrage of punches.
"I started punching as hard as I could," he told the Garden Island newspaper, adding that he landed about eight blows and caused the shark to back off with a knuckle blow to the the eye.
Horton said he used to box and that he fought because he feared for his life.
"I was pretty scared," he said.
There were about 10 others in the water, watching the chaotic incident, and many others on the beach, 200 yards away.
Judging by the size of the bite marks on his surfboard, the shark was fairly large.
Horton, however, managed to climb back onto his board and paddle ashore.
He told the Garden Island that he was at the center of a group hug on the beach, and that a tourist gave him $50 and told him to go celebrate.
Presumably, with ample reason, the surfer complied.
–Photo showing Jeff Horton and his shark-bitten surfboard is courtesy of Neil Edmands
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