[barend]

Drunken Australian wrestles shark
POSTED: 0501 GMT (1301 HKT), February 16, 2007


SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- A man who caught a 1.3-meter (4-ft.) shark with his bare hands off an Australian beach said on Friday he only tried the feat because he was drunk on vodka.

Phillip Kerkhof was fishing off a jetty at Louth Bay, a town on South Australia state's Eyre Peninsula 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) west of Sydney, when he spotted the bronze whaler shark swimming in the shallows, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

"I just snuck up behind him, and eventually I went for the big grab and I fluked it and got him," Kerkhof said.

"He was just thrashing around in the water ... starting to turn around and to try to bite me and I thought 'well, it's amazing what vodka does'," Kerkhof said.

The shark bit a hole in Kerkhof's jeans, but he was uninjured.

"It's not something I'd recommend to do. When I sobered up I thought about it and I said, 'I'm a bit of an idiot for doing it'," Kerkhof said.

Many species of sharks are common in Australian waters, and there are an average of 15 shark attacks per year in the country -- roughly one person each year is killed by a shark.

Last month, an abalone diver had an incredible escape after being almost swallowed head first by a huge shark off the New South Wales state coast.

article

take that the rest of the world, you pussy!!!

that rocks!

This post has been edited by barend: 16 February 2007 - 01:00 AM

[Supes]

You can be honest with the people Barend. It really wont hurt to let them know that this really isn't an isolated incident. I mean shark wrestling is somewhat of an unoffical sport for us Aussies. Nothing like dropping down to the local beach and grabbing the tail of a young bronze whaler or tiger shark to start the adrenaline pumping.

[J m HofMarN]

He should totally be in a vodka commercial for that.

[TheOrator]

Yeah, a whole 'Absolut-ly Awesome' ad campaign.

How Absolut-ly Awesome are you?

[J m HofMarN]

Not absolutely awesome enough to wrestle a shark into submission. Thats why I could never go to Australia. Even to enter a country that X-Treme you have to at least be able to grapple with some sort of toothy wild animal. It's somewhere in their constitution.

[Supes]

See that only improves your chances of getting in. You know that we have a constitution!

[J m HofMarN]

I'm sure Prime Minister Paul Hogan will be pleased with my knowledge. I actually try to follow global politics slightly, I made sure I knew the basics of Canada's government before going there just so I wouldnt go all typical American and end up asking who the governor of their state was.

One interesting thing I found out about Australia is that while a lot of countries have lost leaders to assassination, Australia seems to be the only one that just plain lost a prime minister. They still havn't found the poor chap. Now if only Howard would take up Xtreme rip tide swimming you guys might be better off.

This post has been edited by J m HofMarN: 20 February 2007 - 04:18 AM

[Supes]

Yeah I think he took a lesson from old Harry Holt and sticks to the power walking in his green and gold tracky pants. No getting into the water for little Johnny.

[barend]

and that's what i hate about having a nerd for a leader.

[J m HofMarN]

Who's up for sending him some vodka and a boogie board then?

[Supes]

Oh please do!

[The Horror]

and that's what i hate about having a nerd for a leader.

Would you rather have a cheerleader?

[J m HofMarN]

I think thats pretty much what he does:

Cheney: We might go to war with Iran!
Howard: Sis boom bah gooooo imperialism!

[Supes]

Oooo but you look out! When that Kevin Rudd becomes Prime Minister he's going to show you Yankees what for...

[barend]

Would you rather have a cheerleader?

Yes.



Yes, I would.