In an adrenaline-inducing video, an enormous tiger shark shockingly interacts with a kayak fisherman, Scott Haraguchi, in the open waters of Hawaii, near the O’ahu coast. This harrowing incident occurred on a Friday afternoon and serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of our ocean environment.
Haraguchi was enjoying a peaceful day of fishing from his kayak when an unexpected “whooshing sound,” not dissimilar to that of a boat operating without a motor, disrupted the calm. What transpired next was caught on camera, a tiger shark of formidable size approached his kayak and, alarmingly, took a significant bite out of it.
The sudden impact momentarily destabilised Haraguchi’s kayak, causing it to veer off balance. Taken aback by this unforeseen encounter, the angler let out a shocked exclamation: “A tiger shark rammed me! Unbelievable!”
Haraguchi’s quick thinking and bravery allowed him to fend off the apex predator by kicking it away, after which he courageously resumed his fishing expedition. It wasn’t until he later reviewed the GoPro footage at home that he fully comprehended the gravity of the situation; the gnarly teeth marks on his boat a testament to his narrow escape from a potential shark attack.
This footage, which now features on the YouTube channel ‘Hawaii Nearshore Fishing,’ gives us a glimpse of the tiger shark swimming towards Haraguchi’s kayak. Initially, Haraguchi assumed he had spotted a turtle near his boat, only to discover it was, in fact, a tiger shark.
In his recount of the chilling event, Haraguchi noted, “It happened so fast. I didn’t realize I took my left foot out of the water to brace myself from the impact and actually pushed the shark’s head off with it.”
Talking to local news station KITV4, Haraguchi speculated that the shark may have mistaken his kayak for a seal, which he later observed in the vicinity. “I’m thinking that the shark disabled and wounded the seal… and was waiting for it to die, came back and thought I was the seal, and attacked me instead.”
Despite the close call, Haraguchi walked away from the incident unscathed but significantly more aware of the ocean’s unpredictability. “I realize that life is short, time is short on earth,” he remarked. “Make the most of it, be nice to people.”
At Black Label Marine Group, we are fascinated by such stories that demonstrate the raw power and unpredictable nature of the ocean. As we operate multiple boat dealerships along the Gulf Coast of Mid West Florida, it’s essential to remind ourselves and our clients of the need for safety and respect for marine life when out on the waters.
