{"id":223726,"date":"2025-12-09T13:25:13","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T13:25:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/223726\/"},"modified":"2025-12-09T13:25:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T13:25:13","slug":"swimmer-defends-controversial-move-during-unprecedented-shark-frenzy-off-aussie-coast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/223726\/","title":{"rendered":"Swimmer defends controversial move during unprecedented shark frenzy off Aussie coast"},"content":{"rendered":"

When “hundreds” of sharks followed a giant bait ball into the shallows of Byron Bay<\/a>, chilled locals watched on in silent awe. But there were shocked screams when two groups of divers plunged into the water on Monday.<\/p>\n

One of them, 24-year-old professional diver and documentary photographer Joel Bryant<\/a>, told Yahoo News it was \u201cunreal\u201d seeing the event underwater.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t see any sharks for a good five minutes, then I got really close, and they all just swarmed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

His encounter at Tallow Beach, while thrilling, has proved controversial as vision was shared across social media, attracting millions of views and hundreds of comments.<\/p>\n

Some were jealous of the experience, with one saying, \u201cThat was made [of] bucket list stuff,\u201d and another calling it \u201cbrave\u201d.<\/p>\n

While others accused the divers of having a \u201cdeath wish\u201d or \u201casking for trouble\u201d.<\/p>\n

A few were concerned the dive could put the sharks in danger, because when they attack, it\u2019s common for authorities to hunt them down.<\/a><\/p>\n

Bryant responded that if a shark killed him, he\u2019d want its life to be spared.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe shark should never be the target, it\u2019s my own choice, I\u2019m going in the water,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy family knows this, my friends know this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Left:<\/p>\n

Professional diver Joel Bryant (right) revealed he was calm while swimming with the sharks. Source: Tina O’Donell\/Joel Bryant<\/p>\n

Drone operator’s ‘anxiety’ as divers encounter sharks<\/p>\n

Multiple species were observed feeding on the bait ball, including black tip reef sharks and bronze whalers, but also bull sharks, a species associated with fatalities.<\/a><\/p>\n

Drone operator Tina O\u2019Donell<\/a> was fascinated by the spectacle but as the divers swam towards them, she couldn\u2019t contain her nervousness.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy heart was racing, I felt like I was having an anxiety attack,\u201d she told Yahoo.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the footage, you can see one of the sharks came close to one of the guys, and it looked like he bent down and patted it.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was one thought that repeated in her mind as she watched on \u2013 \u201cAm I going to film one of these guys being attacked by a shark?\u201d<\/p>\n

Incredible spectacle as sharks feed<\/p>\n

There was more to Monday’s spectacle than just the divers entering the water \u2014 the bait ball and the sharks it attracted drew dozens of onlookers who were happy to watch from the sand.<\/p>\n

Sixty-one-year-old drone photographer Marc Wilson<\/a> called it a \u201conce in a lifetime\u201d event, noting that dolphins and sharks were feeding on the bait ball together, and happily “co-existing”.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve spoken to locals who were born and bred here, and are in their sixties, and they\u2019ve never seen anything like it,\u201d he told Yahoo.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been droning for five years, and seen bait balls the size of three or four football fields, and while you might get the odd dolphin swimming through it, but nothing compared to this.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just amazing to witness it \u2013 sharks were beaching themselves with a mouthful of fish and then shuffling back into the ocean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

A diver from one of the groups (centre-left) appeared to almost touch one of the sharks. Source: Marc Wilson<\/p>\n

Diver responds to shark controversy<\/p>\n

Bryant has had years of experience, including diving in shark hotspots in northern Western Australia<\/a>, but he would never encourage unskilled beachgoers to copy his behaviour.<\/p>\n

He has no regrets about his decision to swim beside the bait ball, and argues \u201ceverything is controversial<\/a> nowadays\u201d in Australia.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf this happened 20 or 30 years ago, people would be down the beach watching it, no one would have phones, and if a couple of guys wanted to dive in, then that would be their choice,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only difference now is that everyone has a high-resolution camera in their hands, and the ability with social media to share that allows you to put it out to the masses.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it\u2019s not a matter of whether it\u2019s right or not, people just seem to like to take offence at people just expressing their right to do things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diver describes shark experience as calming<\/p>\n

Under the water, Bryant said the feeling was \u201cunreal\u201d with moments of \u201cchaos\u201d as a variety of shark species fed on the fish.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was kind of murky because there was so much sediment, and the ocean current was moving everything around,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Initially, the sharks kept their distance and appeared to be spooked, but as he got closer to the bait ball, they just ignored him.<\/p>\n

When Yahoo spoke to a group of divers after an unexpected encounter with a white shark<\/a> off the coast of Bali in March, they were nervous.<\/p>\n

But for Bryant, his moment with the sharks was planned and more of a \u201cmellow\u201d experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was electric, but at the same time, from diving experience, you learn to be really calm,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re taking it all in, and trying to be relaxed and cool, because obviously you don\u2019t want to be freaking out, or making any fast movements.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shark attacks have been linked to bait balls<\/p>\n

Even ordinarily benign species of shark have been known to attack in the right circumstances, which is what happened in Israel last April.<\/a><\/p>\n

Analysis of the incident in the journal Ethology<\/a> concluded one \u201cbold shark\u201d likely bit the snorkeler\u2019s GoPro camera, and this \u201ctriggered a feeding frenzy\u201d of predation bites that overrode normal behaviour.<\/p>\n

Advice for swimmers and surfers is generally to stay out of the water when there are large amounts of prey fish \u2014 a 2023 fatal shark attack<\/a> in Sydney was linked to a bait ball.<\/p>\n

While shark attacks are rare, in Australia, there are an average of 20 incidents a year<\/a> that result in injuries, and an average of 2.8 fatalities.<\/p>\n

Bryant stayed with the sharks for close to 30 minutes and never felt like his life was at risk, but he also doesn\u2019t believe that death should always be feared.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the whole world is deadly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reason everyone is so scared and worried is that we\u2019ve been coaxed into a society where nobody wants to think about death.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhereas if you spend time in nature, you realise death is a daily thing, and it\u2019s part of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Love Australia’s weird and wonderful environment? \ud83d\udc0a\ud83e\udd98\ud83d\ude33 Get our <\/strong>new newsletter<\/strong><\/a> showcasing the week\u2019s best stories.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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