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17/09/2005: "FIRST SHARK ENCOUNTER"

January 1964 at Kangaroo Island, South Australia. These young guys from Maroubra, Sydney were on a big adventure, attending the Australian Skindivers Convention (a spear fishing competition in those days).

Spearing fish, attaching these to a float towed somewhere behind you on the surface was the advised practice for rock hoppers, without a boat.

A whaler shark seems to have chewed the tail off a dusky morwong and given the team some cheap thrills.

Col Boomer (second from right) became a champion at the sport later. These were the early days not only for skindiving but for each of us. Our own version of Happy Days.