Whangārei Heads shark sighting startles paddleboarder near shore

A paddleboarder making the most of Northland’s sunny weather over the weekend was startled when she spotted a shark beneath her.

Beachgoer Emily Faulkner had been the first to spot the shark while she was lounging on some rocks at a small bay near Urquharts Bay in Whangārei Heads.

About 1.45pm on Sunday she said she looked up and saw a fin about 3m from the shore.

Faulkner got her camera out to capture the moment, and watched it for a few minutes before it disappeared below the surface.

“It was pretty cool,” she said.

Not long after, a woman on a paddleboard went past, and Faulkner watched as a look of shock registered across her face.

The woman paddled over to a group of people on a nearby boat, telling them the shark was bigger than her.

“They drove along really slowly [near the shore], down where she paddleboarded, trying to look for it,” Faulkner said.

Before long, they left the bay.

Faulkner waited about three hours before she got into the water, wanting to be sure the shark was no longer there.

There was a lot of seaweed where the shark had been, making visibility difficult.

About 10 minutes after she hopped out, she thought she saw ripples in the water.

“I thought I saw a fin again [but] I think it was just a school of fish,” Faulkner said.

She wondered if maybe the shark had returned to chase the fish but couldn’t be sure.

The Department of Conservation has been approached for comment.

Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.