Fin to the face: Shark slapping New Smyrna Beach surfer caught on camera

Spinner shark leaves surf with a shiner

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – Kara Haun has been surfing for the last 15 years and knows there's a possibility that she could be attacked by a shark, but she never thought that she would be slapped by one.
 
Cameras from Surfline.com, a website that has live surf cameras, forecasts and reports around the world, captured a spinner shark slapping Haun Thursday morning across her face while she was in the water at Bethune Beach.

"I had no idea it was coming. So, I was laying on my board faced down, just looking out into the ocean waiting on the next wave, and it landed on top of me really, really heavy and hit me in the face and knocked me off my board," Haun said.
 
The Surfline video shows the shark jumping out of the water and slamming into Haun. Spinner sharks are known for their aerial skills, leaping out of the water to catch a meal, according to Oceana.org. An average spinner shark can be 6-to-9 feet long and weigh more than 100 pounds.
 
Haun felt the weight.
 
"It kind of felt like a car landed on me, to tell you the truth," she said.
 
The surfer said her instincts and adrenaline kicked in, as she scrambled to get back onto her surfboard, waited a few minutes and then paddled to shore.
 
"At the moment, I just thought I was getting attacked because of the way it hit me from behind, and so hard. I just wanted to get back on the board," she said.
 
Haun said even with that unforgettable experience, shiner and all, she's ready to catch some more waves.
 
"I'll probably go back out there tomorrow, just to get back on it," she said. "Just to make myself get back on the horse."


About the Author:

Loren Korn is a native Texan who joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2014. She was born and raised in Houston and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Journalism.

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