Some surf trips end with sunburn or a stubborn granola bar wedged in the wax. Every so often, though, as UPI reports, a predawn paddle can conclude with a gear review courtesy of local marine life—one that leaves teeth marks rather than star ratings.
Sudden Critique at Cabarita Beach
Shortly after 7:26 a.m. along Australia’s Cabarita Beach, surfer Brad Ross ventured out for what began as an ordinary session under the sunrise. As described in the UPI article, Coast Cam footage captured Ross floating atop the waves, a dark presence keeping him company in the shallows. What followed, recounted by witness Kane Douglas to 9News and relayed in the same report, was, in Douglas’s words, “an explosion of water and foam.” In surfing terms, that’s rarely part of the daily warm-up.
With one violent assessment, Ross’s board was abruptly separated into two segments, a considerable bite gouged from its core. Douglas’s first reaction, he told 9News, was to scan for any blood once the shout of “shark” pierced the morning’s calm—a safety check most would agree is entirely reasonable under these circumstances. In a testament to either luck or leash technology, Ross himself reached shore with no injury; his board, having failed the durability audit, was less fortunate.
The Shark’s Unofficial Feedback
Drone camera footage, as highlighted in the original coverage, quickly identified a suspected great white—estimated at a formidable 16 feet—as the likely reviewer. The size comparison (somewhere between a mid-sized van and an overly ambitious inflatable pool float) adds a certain gravitas to the proceedings. One can only wonder whether the shark simply disapproved of the model or was angling for a taste test, foamy finish and all.
Kim Maree captured the aftermath on video, posting candid beachside footage of Ross examining the newly two-piece board. As she understatedly noted on Facebook and as cited by UPI, there was “a bit of drama on the beach after I filmed the beautiful sunrise.” If there’s a better summary for these sorts of incidents (“Beautiful sunrise, followed immediately by marine carnage”), I’ve yet to hear it.
After the incident was brought to the attention of local officials, Tweed Shire Council announced the beach’s closure for the day in a statement referenced by 1 News. The council communicated that the incident, while dramatic, resulted in no injuries to people and would be subject to further updates as details emerged. Earlier in the report, the routine nature of beach closures following shark incidents is quietly affirmed—business as usual for the world’s more unpredictable ecosystems.
Taking Notes from Nature’s Equipment Inspector
It’s hard not to marvel at just how zealously nature sometimes evaluates our hobbies. Encounters between humans and wildlife, while statistically rare, have the peculiar talent of transforming the ordinary into a story that edges from surf magazine anecdote into the odd news section.
In New South Wales, where surfers share the water with a rotating cast of native residents, most dawn patrols unfold without toothy interruptions. Still, as UPI’s account makes clear, even the most routine outings can be punctuated by an unscheduled performance review—this one involving jaws and composite foam. The swift beach closure by Tweed Shire Council stands as a classic measure, keeping curiosity-driven swimmers (and other surfboards in need of further critique) safely on shore while the scenario unfolds.
For those keeping score at home, this is perhaps the purest reminder that the ocean is neither tame nor particularly interested in our daily agenda. Will surfboard designers soon be boasting about “great white-resistant” builds? Is there a flavor profile that attracts these aquatic critics, or is it really just about being in the right—or wrong—place at breakfast time?
In the end, Brad Ross completed his exit from the water clinging only to the leash and a fresh set of stories, his board now enjoying a well-earned retirement. And as for our shark reviewer, it’s probably still out there, waiting to deliver its next, somewhat pointed, review. Who says feedback needs to be constructive?
