18/09/2026
Today, another fellow West Australian lost their life in a great white shark encounter, reportedly close to shore. My thoughts are with their family, friends and everyone affected by this tragedy.
As a diver and former surfer, I understand the risks that come with entering the ocean—particularly here on the West Australian coast. We know they exist. We assess and manage those risks every time we enter the water, just as we do with countless other risks in life. In fact, the journey to our favourite diving or surfing spot can arguably carry a greater everyday risk than the activity itself.
We are saltwater people. We love the ocean, we respect it, and we accept that sharing its environment comes with some inherent risk. That doesn’t mean we are ignorant of what can happen.
What I find particularly disappointing every time an incident like this occurs is the smug, condescending commentary from people who feel compelled to point out the obvious: “It’s their backyard,” or “Who would have thought there’d be sharks in the ocean?”
We already know.
Those comments add nothing. They don’t make anyone safer, they don’t educate anyone, and they certainly don’t help a family that has just lost someone they love.
Shark encounters happen. Tragically, sometimes people don’t survive them. It will happen again.
You don’t have to understand why people choose to surf, dive, swim or spend time in the ocean. But perhaps when someone has just lost their life, the decent thing is to show a little humanity.
If you have nothing constructive or compassionate to say, sometimes the best option is simply to scroll on.
