Surfer recounts seal attack

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A 24-year-old surfer, who was attacked by a seal at The Point, has recounted how he felt the animal's jaws clamp on to his thigh, moments after he had caught a wave.

Jaco Calitz, from George, said he often drives to Mossel Bay to surf and on 5 October, he decided to catch a few waves at The Point. Calitz was the third person to be attacked by a seal in Mossel Bay that day.

Steven Macdonald (56) and Mathys Pienaar (21) were attacked earlier that morning while swimming at Santos Beach.

Calitz, who has been surfing since he was 13 years old, said he had never had a negative experience with seals before that Saturday, and had always viewed seals as "the dogs of the ocean".

Took a wave

"It was between 11:00 and 12:00. I had been surfing for about 30 minutes and took a wave. I saw a seal swimming next to me. I didn't think much of it. I then got off the wave and about 20 seconds later, I was just rammed over. I first thought it might be a shark," said Calitz.

Bite wounds on Jaco Calitz’s leg. Photo: Jaco Calitz

"When I looked down, I saw this seal. It had bitten me on the thigh. I started punching it and it let go. It then bit me on my lower leg. I punched it again and it eventually let go. I knew the bite was there and I just had to get out of the water," he said.

Calitz got to the beach, and, aware that there had been four confirmed cases of rabies in seals in Mossel Bay since 17 July, he knew he had to go to the hospital for treatment. He asked people on the beach where the hospital was and went to Mossel Bay Provincial Hospital.

"The hospital said it had to check with the pharmacy, but I didn't want to wait so I drove myself to Mediclinic George, where my wounds were treated and injected with the rabies immunoglobulin and I was given the first dose of the rabies vaccine."

Anxious

He said the incident had made him anxious about going back to surfing in Mossel Bay, but would not keep him out of the water. Accidents happened, and when surfing or swimming, there was always a risk and while one should be wary, one should not live in fear, Calitz noted.

Bite wounds from a seal attack. Photo: Jaco Calitz

He added that if he could give anyone advice, especially surfers and swimmers, it would be to get the rabies vaccine.

Stranded Marine Animal Rescue Team (S.M.A.R.T.) spokesperson Val Marsh said many S.M.A.R.T. volunteers had opted to have the vaccine. However, she said the vaccine was quite expensive. She urged people to continue to be on the lookout for seals while on the beach and in the water and to stay away from seals.

Report any seals ashore or incidents immediately to S.M.A.R.T. (072 227 4715), Dr Greg Hofmeyr (071 724 2122) of Bayworld in Gqeberha or the municipality (all hours, 044 606 5000).

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