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12/15/2007 Josh Edwards (Australia)

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12/15/2007 Josh Edwards (Australia)

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Shark bites teen in Broadwater

Marissa Lynch

19Dec07

WHEN a teenage boy felt a 'crab' bite his hand, he didn't realise he was only inches from becoming shark bait.

Josh Edwards was left with a large bite on his hand after swimming in the Broadwater on Saturday.

It was only when he and his family arrived at the Emergency Department of Allamanda Hospital that Dr Ziggy Kusiak told him his injury was more like a shark bite.

"I was swimming out to the boat and it just felt like someone had stepped on my hand," said Josh.
"I thought it was a crab."

However, from the shape of the bite and the way the tissue was pulled back, Dr Kusiak said Josh was lucky to have what was believed to be a medium-sized shark only have a taste of him.

"I talked to some people at the Gold Coast City Council and they said it had to be a bull shark," he said.

"He could have been killed.

"There would have been a few of (the sharks) in the area.

"After the rain, you can't see anything in the water.

"He is very, very lucky."

Josh's dad Paul Edwards said he had anchored the boat just off South Stradbroke Island about 30m from the old camping area.

The group went ashore and Mr Edwards and his wife Michelle had remained on the beach while they watched the group of five teenagers swim back to the boat.

Josh was close to the boat when he was bitten.

"I didn't see anything," he said. "I was at the back and the other girls had got in the boat. It was bleeding and the girls put it in a towel."
From the shore, Mrs Edwards said she saw the whole episode.

"He was swimming with four girls when it happened," she said.

"There was a slick of blood around him. I had heard squealing from the beach.

"I thought the girls were mucking around but I saw Josh and he had blood dripping off his elbow.

"We're just happy it didn't get him on the torso or the leg and that it's not a more serious injury.

"We're glad he didn't lose any fingers or an arm or leg."

Although the wound looked nasty, and stitches were not able to be put in for fear of infection, Josh said it did not hurt.

Despite the scare, Josh said he was not afraid to go back in the water but his mother was not so keen. "I won't be swimming the Broadwater again," she said. "We have a 15-year-old daughter as well and she said she won't be going swimming in there either."

Yesterday, Sea World's manager of marine science, Steve McCourt, said he could not be sure from the information whether the bite was from a shark.

"It could be a small shark, but I couldn't say definitely," he said. "If it wasn't a shark, I don't know what it was."

Yesterday, the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries issued a 'swim with caution' notice, saying the warmer and wetter weather meant shark activity was on the rise.

"We are particularly concerned about people swimming near river mouths, in canals, artificial lakes and other similar waterways following the recent hot weather and heavy rain," said DPI shark control program manager Tony Ham. "Swimming at patrolled beaches is certainly safer -- shark control equipment is placed off 84 beaches along the coast."

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/200 ... -news.html
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