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A peaceful day of kayak fishing turned intense for 19-year-old Matt Wells when a massive great white shark began circling his small vessel off New Zealand’s Cape Rēinga. Wells — who’s been kayak fishing since age 6 — managed to capture the heart-stopping encounter on video.
The first sign something was wrong came when Wells noticed his live bait acting erratically. That’s when the apex predator surfaced nearby, leading to several tense minutes as the shark stalked his kayak.
In true Kiwi style, Wells began talking to himself — and the shark — as he carefully paddled away from the encounter. “Please don’t attack me, bro,” he can be heard saying in the footage, which includes some colorful language typical of such a startling situation.
Speaking with the New Zealand Herald, Wells showed remarkable perspective about the encounter. “This is the risk you take when you are kayak fishing. You are going into a big animal’s domain and you are stepping into his house.”
Cape Rēinga — located at the northernmost tip of New Zealand’s North Island — is known for its world-class fishing opportunities. The area’s deep waters and vast fishing channels make it a prime habitat for various marine life, including great whites.
These encounters aren’t as rare as one might think in New Zealand waters. Just two years ago, another kayak fisherman captured footage of a white shark ramming his vessel twice while pursuing a seal:
After making it safely back to shore, Wells called his family to share his experience. Despite the heart-pounding encounter, his years of experience helped him maintain composure during the ordeal.
For Wells, who’s spent over a decade on the water, such an encounter was “bound to happen eventually.” It’s a sobering reminder that when we venture into the ocean, we’re visitors in a realm where great whites and other marine predators make their home.
