Clarke vs a shark: Gayford reveals close encounter

Clarke Gayford has had an extraordinarily close encounter with a shark.

The Prime Minister's partner posted a photo to social media of just how close how he got to both of the creatures.

The image shows him batting away a bronze whaler.

The shark can be seen biting a pole which Gayford is holding underwater, all under the gaze of a dolphin.

He writes how a childhood myth was destroyed after the encounter as the dolphin didn't come and save him, it just watched from a distance.

"So it turns out that not only do Dolphins not help, they actually quite like watching," he wrote.

"A childhood myth is ruined."

It's unclear where the photo was taken.

Gayford hosts the Fish of the Day TV show and writes a fishing column for the Herald on Sunday newspaper.