Surfer Freaks Out After Mistaking Dolphin for Shark

Ballina is considered the “shark attack capital” of Australia. So when local man Craig Bateman was surfing and then saw a dorsal fin protruding from the water on July 25, he braced for the worst.Bateman, 42, said he had been surfing with a friend near Ballina. After riding a wave, he turned around and saw the fin directly behind him.“My life flashed before my eyes,” he said.Bateman’s first instinct was to yell, but when he realised the grey aquatic animal wasn’t a hungry shark, but a dolphin, he broke into laughter.He said he has never been that close to a shark at Ballina before. Drones would typically monitor the waters and lifeguards would alert swimmers and surfers to their presence before they could get close. Credit: Craig Bateman via Storyful