While most people swim away from sharks, this beach-goer decided to catch a wild shark with his bare hands.
The shark was identified as sand tiger shark that weighed 350-pounds and was 8.5 feet long.
The Capture
Beachgoers looked on as Lewes native, Dave Williamson, caught the shark while swimming at Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware. An onlooker captured the encounter on video obtained by TMZ.
The man is seen pulling the shark by its tail into shallow water while the public looked on in amazement. “Oh my god, that’s a big a-s shark,” a lady is heard screaming in the background of the video.
Williamson then used his one arm to pull the shark’s jaw open for the crowd to see. A few moments later he released the shark’s jaw and sent the creature on his way. Unfortunately, the video cuts off before we could see the shark swim away and see exactly how he released the shark.
Meet the Man Behind the Shark Catch
People on social media condemned the man for scaring the wild creature. Users also pointed out that it could have seriously injured himself or an onlooker. However, Williamson has experience with catching sharks.
“It’s a hobby for me. It’s a rush. It’s a thrill,” Williamson told the local news outlet, ABC 6. “I mean, I guess you could call me a thrill seeker in that sense. Some people are afraid of snakes and spiders and what have you. I’ve just been comfortable getting in the water with them for no one reason in particular.”
State law requires fishermen to return sharks back to the ocean immediately after capture. Capturing sharks has almost become a sport and Williamson has named it, “game fishing.”
Over the last few years, he has captured and released over 30 sharks. What’s even more impressive is the fact that he has not been bitten by a shark. Fishing isn’t his full-time job, his full-time day job is a general contractor.
Watch a video of the encounter, below.
H/T TMZ
