KEY POINTS:
Large crowds of swimmers are not the only thing beachgoers have to contend with in the water this summer - sharks such as this one are frequently being seen in the Bay of Plenty.
This 2.5m bronze whaler was caught off Papamoa Beach last Saturday and Omanu Surf Rescue head lifeguard Isaac Gilmore said another two sharks were spotted swimming 100m south of the club's flags yesterday.
According to the Department of Fisheries, bronze whalers can grow to a maximum length of 3.3m and are common off beaches in the top half of the North Island at this time of year.
While makos, a close cousin to the fearsome great white shark, are the most common shark in the Bay of Plenty during the summer months, the Department of Fisheries says bronze whalers are sighted more often because they feed closer to shore.
There have been about 45 unprovoked shark attacks recorded in New Zealand since 1852, with nine fatal.
Saturday's find attracted a crowd of onlookers and came after Marty Hoffart rowed his small boat out to the net he'd set off Papamoa Beach.
Instead of finding fish for dinner, he got a little more than he bargained for when he came face to face with one of the ocean's most capable predators.
He suspected something was wrong when he tried to drag the net in.
It was little more difficult than usual and it was a long time before the white belly of a 2.5m bronze whaler became visible above the water.
"Occasionally we get sand sharks but nothing this size. Two and a half metres is pretty huge when you're in a 2.5m row boat," he said. "Once I saw the huge white belly I had to stop and have a think. There was no way it was coming into the boat."
A neighbour, Ryan Orchard, paddled out in his kayak to give Mr Hoffart a hand. They decided to tow the shark to shore where a gathering crowd waited to get a look at the beast.
When they got to shore, they buried the shark, which was estimated to weigh about 200kg.
"I think a lot of the locals were happier to see it out of the water than in the water," said Mr Hoffart.
- Bay of Plenty Times
