A Florida surfer identified as Darren Kaye was struck in the head by a spinner shark that leaped out of the water.
The incident was captured in a video that quickly went viral on Instagram. The surfer is seen near New Smyrna Beach on his board when the shark jumps directly toward him.
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The location is known for its high concentration of sharks. The spinner shark gets its name from the spinning leaps it performs while feeding.
Kaye was knocked off his board and described the encounter as breathtaking.
“I was really glad its mouth wasn’t open,” the surfer told local news station WFTV 9.
“I got back on the board immediately, and my heart rate went from 0 to 195 beats per minute in a second. I started paddling as fast as I could, just wanting to get out of there,” he continued.
He said it felt like being hit by a car. “It was really strong and powerful. They’re pure muscle, you know?” he said.
Despite the frightening encounter, the surfer said he wasn’t shaken by the shark’s presence and returned to the same beach afterward.
“We surfed there the rest of the weekend, we surfed there this morning, we surfed there yesterday afternoon. We always get waves. We’re lucky,” Kaye said.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons and Instagram @dj_kaye_. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
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