Incident Report
Surfer Bitten at Southside Beach near Geelong, Victoria
Bells Beach, Victoria·Australia
A French tourist surfing at Southside Beach near Geelong sustained minor lacerations to his leg when a shark bit him without warning on May 8, 2020. The surfer punched the shark and managed to reach shore safely.
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Incident Profile
Circumstances
Environmental
Individual
Location
Description
On Friday, May 8, 2020, at approximately 4:00 PM, a shark incident occurred at Southside Beach near Geelong, Victoria, Australia. Dylan Nacass, a male tourist from France, was surfing when he was bitten on the right leg by a shark that approached from below. According to Nacass's account, the shark came "straight up" and bit his leg without warning. "I didn't see it coming," he reported. In response to the attack, Nacass struck the shark with his fist. The shark subsequently followed him toward shore, though it did not pursue further contact. The incident occurred during afternoon conditions with a water temperature of 60°F (15.6°C). The area experiences significant tidal ranges, with mean high tide occurring at 4:31 PM on that date. Environmental conditions included a waning gibbous moon at 98% illumination. Nacass sustained minor lacerations to his right leg. He was able to exit the water and receive treatment. The shark species was not identified. This incident was classified as unprovoked and documented by the Global Shark Accident File with investigation support from TrackinSharks.com and case investigators Kevin McMurray and Melissa Michaelson.