Incident Report
Surfer Bitten by Tiger Shark at Crescent Head
Crescent Head, New South Wales·Australia
A surfer sustained minor injuries after encountering a 2.3-meter tiger shark off the coast of Crescent Head, New South Wales. The incident occurred in the afternoon near a rocky point break in murky water conditions.
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Incident Profile
Circumstances
Environmental
Individual
Location
Description
On April 20, 2008, a male surfer was bitten by a tiger shark while surfing at Crescent Head, a popular point break on the New South Wales coast. The incident occurred in the afternoon at approximately 4:30 p.m., roughly 100 meters from shore and approximately 20 meters from rocks running along the point. According to the surfer, the shark measured approximately 2.3 meters in length. Environmental conditions at the time included overcast skies with patchy rain, murky brown water, and the outflow of a creek that had been swollen by rainfall. The surfer reported observing bait fish jumping approximately 50 meters away about 20 seconds before the encounter, suggesting elevated shark activity in the area. The incident resulted in minor injury to the surfer and was classified as unprovoked. The investigation was conducted by Terry Peake of the Global Shark Attack File. This incident remains one of several documented tiger shark encounters in New South Wales and adds to the understanding of shark behavior in coastal waters during specific environmental conditions.