Diver Survives Inside Great White Shark; Tells How It Felt

A diver has described what it was like to be swallowed head first and whole by a great white shark.

In January 2007, Eric Nerhus of Eden, Australia, was diving along the reefs at Cape Howard in New South Wales, seeking for abalone, a sort of delicious sea snail, when the deadly beast approached him.

The seasoned diver, 41 at the time, found himself inside the 10-foot-long shark’s guts, its piercing fangs sinking into his flesh.

The creature then attempted to consume him whole, crushing his head and chest, which were fortunately shielded by his heavy diving gear.

Speaking about being inside the shark, he said: “One minute it was daylight, the next second everything went black.

“Inside the jaws, it was just dark, I couldn’t see anything because I was looking down the back of his throat. I’ve never experienced anything like it.”

He also explained how he escaped the shark’s clutches.

Eric told Nine Network News at the time: “Half my body was in its mouth. I fell down to the eye socket with my two fingers and poked them into the socket.

“The shark reacted by opening its mouth and I just tried to wriggle out. It was still trying to bite me. It crushed my goggles into my nose and they fell into its mouth.

“I’ve never felt fear in my life like what I felt in the jaws of that white pointer. “I went straight into its mouth, front onwards. Half my body was in its throat. It was like being in a dark cave.”

He wriggled free and swam to the surface, where his son assisted him back onto his boat while the shark circled.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli