Shark attack teen ready to get back in the water

Sydney's third shark attack victim in three weeks is already planning his next surf trip. Photo / Supplied

Straight out of surgery, a teenager attacked by a shark off Sydney's Avalon Beach was already planning a surfing trip.

Andrew Lindop had a four-hour operation to repair to-the-bone bites on his left thigh and later met up with mates in the Royal North Shore Hospital to plan a surfing holiday in Samoa, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

"He definitely wants to get back into surfing as soon as he can," friend Dylan Gagen told the SMH.

"He's already been talking about his next trip to Samoa. He went a couple of months ago and was saying how much he wants to go back."

The attack on the 15-year-old surfer - thought to be a two metre great white - was Sydney's third in less than three weeks.

Australian Navy diver Paul de Gelder, 31, lost a hand and a leg after being bitten by a bull shark in Sydney harbour on February 11, and another surfer, Glenn Orgias, 22, was attacked by a great white shark at Bondi Beach two days later.

Surf expert Don Norris told the newspaper that good waves will trump shark sighting fears every time for surfers.

A survey of 600-plus people on his Realsurf website days after the attack on Mr Orgias showed less than 20 per cent of surfers were only 'mildly worried'.

With good surf two days after the Bondi attack even breaks at known shark spots like Manly's famous right-hander at Fairy Bower and Cronulla's aptly-named Shark Island were busy.

But shark repellent devices are selling out as fear grips other Australian beach goers - makers of 'Shark Shield' have increased by 50 per cent in two months.

Meanwhile, the NSW government is under fire for not doing its part to protect swimmers.

Shark nets along the coast are not in good condition, said opposition industry spokesman Duncan Gay on ABC radio yesterday.

"We have a situation that shark nets are deteriorating, the minister has not renewed the quota on catching sharks, and the time ... the Westpac (helicopter) shark patrols has been cut," he told the station.

It is understood the Avalon nets were checked by authorities the day before the attack.

But primary industries minister Ian McDonald said that the shark fishing quota was irrelevant as it the bulk of the quota was harmless species, and great whites aren't included at all as they are protected.

Avalon Beach remains closed today.

- NZ HERALD STAFF