Photographer and son thrown into ocean as Great White shark launches 'terrifying' attack

dailystar.co.uk:

horrifying moment they were launched off their kayak and into the ocean by a huge Great White shark.Daniel Sullivan and son Tristan were out in large orange kayak just off the the Ukumehame beach, which is along the West Maui coast., when they suddenly being attacked by the beast in what the photographer called the "most terrifying visceral image I’ve ever seen”.The pair had been before, and were out there while the father was photographing the 10,000 humpback whales that visit the area to spawn and give birth every year for his new book called Maui: Mauka to Makai, which is a fine art photography book that captures the vast hidden beauty of Maui's mountains and ocean.But on February 2, the 46-year-old and his teenage son had an encounter they would never have expected.Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star, Daniel said: “It was one of the calmest most beautiful days. “About a mile and a half off shore we came upon a mother whale, and a calf that had just been born.“The calf was so small and was still just learning to swim.

The mother whale would lift the baby whale up on her nose to her air and bring it up to the kayak. “There were also two dolphins and a big male escort whale with them - I stuck my camera housing in the water and photographed them as it was really magical. “However, shortly after, the kayak was struck suddenly from underneath and thrown out of the water. “As I looked down on either side of my legs were the jaws of a massive great white shark - it was the most terrifying visceral image I’ve ever seen.”Only several inches of plastic stood between Daniel, his son and the shark – which had been attracted to the area by the smell of afterbirth from the whales they were photographing.The impact of the shark.