A surfer recently encountered a shark while out on the water and ended up with a nasty bite. However, he still managed to drive himself to the hospital.
A shark attacked the surfer off the coast of Florida. Surfer Charley Hajek says he was out in the water off of New Smyrna Beach when the attack occurred. He spoke with FOX affiliate WOFL about his terrifying experience.
Hajek owns the Gnarly Charley Surf Series. In the surf community, people call him Gnarley Charley. But in the future, they may call him Once-Bitten Charley. The surfer revealed he accidentally stepped on the shark and surprised it.
"By the time I even thought twice about it, it [was] just bam! It bit me up," Hajek explained. "Man, I felt like I stepped my foot on a light socket." The animal bit Hajek and almost severed his Achilles' tendon int eh process. Still, he managed to ride his board to the beach. That's where he assessed the amount of damage.
Surfer Attacked By Shark
"It just opened up like a flower and blew blood out everywhere," he told WESH. "Man, it was so gnarly. " The surfer said he tried to slow the bleeding. He used his surfboard leash as a makeshift tourniquet. He tied it around his injured ankle and foot. From there, he decided to go get professional help. The surfer drove himself to the hospital after the shark attack.
Doctors ended up giving him several stitches. They warned him about going back in the water for the time being. Otherwise, his wound may get infected. Hajek has been surfing since the 1970s. He's won five state championships during that time. Unfortunately, the shark attack set the surfer back. He was on a 148 day surfing streak when it happened.
Given the nature of his injury, he'll have to take some time away from surfing. However, he's already itching to start a new streak. "I'm anxious to get back out there," he said.
