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07/27/2021 -Yamada Atsushi 58 yr - Georgia

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alb
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07/27/2021 -Yamada Atsushi 58 yr - Georgia

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'It's part of our life': Surf instructor back on Tybee beach two days after shark bite
Yamada Atsushi suffered minor injuries in rare attack during surf camp

Yamada Atsushi, on crutches and in waterproof pants, was back on the beach Thursday morning teaching surf camp just two days after being bitten by a shark.

"It's part of the deal; part of the sport we love," said Atsushi. "I can't do this without going in the ocean."

Atsushi has been running Hot Sushi's Happy Surf Camp Aloha! for over 10 years on Tybee Island. Before that, he surfed the waters of Hawaii, Guam, Australia and his home country, Japan. His attitude toward marine life of all kinds is one of harmony.

He said he's seen sharks before but had never been bitten prior to Tuesday. He considers the incident almost as a blessing.

"I've never been attacked before ... so I have no idea ... how I'm going to react, and now I know," he said. "I mean good or bad, at least I experienced it."

Atsushi describes the encounter, which happened during a surf class, as more serendipitous than anything — the shark could have attacked one of his young students instead.

Moments before the incident, Atsushi noticed one of his camp kids had drifted out to the jetties. The spot was too far out and around the same area someone had drowned the year before, he recalled.

Tips for swimmers:Watch for these sharks in summertime Coastal Georgia waters

"I paddled out to her and sat right next to her on my surfboard, explaining why she had to go in," he said. "Luckily, she took the wave that brought her all the way to the shore. Less than three seconds later I got attacked."
Atsushi "Hot Sushi" Yamada claps as a student surfs into shore Thursday during Hot Sushi's Happy Surf Camp Aloha on Tybee Island. Yamada was happy to be back in the water working with children just two days after being bitten by a shark near this very spot.

The water was too dark to see anything that day, Atsushi said, but he knew it was a sea creature. Researchers later identified that it was most likely a juvenile bull shark or a blacktip, which are common in Georgia's coastal waters.

They (sharks) can get right up to the surf," said Bryan Fluech of the Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant at the University of Georgia. "That's their feeding zone and that's where we're going into the water, too."

But Fluech, like Atsushi, urged people not to let their fear go into overdrive.

"Since the late 1800s, Georgia has had only 15 confirmed unprovoked attacks," said Fluech. "There's much more risk statistically of something happening getting to the beach than, you know, actually being at the beach."

Atsushi said he sustained a bite on his shin and two smaller bites on his calf, but he was more concerned about the safety and well-being of his class.

"I was wrapping myself in the water," he said. "I didn'twant my little ones to see it, I don't want parents to see it, I didn't want anybody to see ... until I was covered fully."

Tybee Ocean Rescue, the island's lifeguards, treated Atsushi before transferring him to an ambulance, which drove to Memorial Health University Medical Center's emergency unit.

Atsushi is already looking ahead. He hopes to recover enough in time for his Surfers Healing event on Aug. 25, where he will be taking children with autism surfing on Folly Beach near Charleston.

"It's part of our life and we have to learn something out of this," said Atsushi, who was thankful his whole surf camp showed up Thursday morning despite his offering refunds or credits for next summer's classes.
A fresh bandage covers the area where Atsushi "Hot Sushi" Yamada was bitten by a shark on Tuesday afternoon.
Atsushi "Hot Sushi" Yamada puts on waterproof pants to cover his bandaged left leg where his bitten by a shark on Tuesday. Yamada was back in the water on Thursday working with children during his Hot Sushi's Happy Surf Camp Aloha on Tybee Island.

"They're much more brave than me," he said. "The little ones ... they're all in the water today."

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