Shark attack was Kerikeri man's second encounter with a shark that day

Kerikeri's Kevin Lloyd in the boat after the shark attack. Photo/Supplied

A Kerikeri man who survived a shark attack said he had just moved to that spot to get away from sharks after a friend's kingfish was eaten by one in a different location.

Kevin Lloyd was out spearfishing near the Cavalli Islands with friends on Saturday when a 2m mako came out of nowhere and attacked him.

Two days after the attack he was feeling good but told the Advocate it wasn't his first encounter with a shark that day.

"We had just moved from a spot where my friend's kingfish had been eaten by a shark, to get away from them and the second spot I dived is when I got attacked."

The 24-year-old had just shot a kingfish when a mako came out of nowhere and latched on to his leg. He started stabbing it while his mate held on to the tail. The shark then went for his hand so using his free one he gouged the shark's eye. It eventually swam away.

Despite all of this, he still managed to land that kingi - and it's gone far.

"She's getting smoked right now and I'm going to be giving it away to friends and family and eating it myself. We actually had it for dinner last night as well. We gave half of it away to some of the people on the beach who helped out," he said.

Lloyd said he had been contacted by people all over the world - including the US, the United Kingdom, and Australia - asking if he was alright.

"I'm feeling good. It's kind of weird. A lot of people have been contacting me, it's almost like the two seconds of fame I'll ever have."

The adrenaline has worn off now but Lloyd - who wanted people to know this was the action of one shark not all of them - was still keen to get back in the water.

"I'll be back in there as soon as I can. Obviously there will be a little bit of anxiety but I just need to get over it, get back in the water and keep doing what I love," he said.

Lloyd wasn't the only spearfisherman who had a close encounter with a shark over the weekend.

Auckland man Anton Oleinik was out fishing at Ti Point, near Omaha just north of Auckland, when a large bronze whaler shark about 2.5m long swam up and clung on to his leg.