Man Survives Unbelievable Shark Attack

Eric Nerhus, 41, was collecting shellfish off the coast of Eden, a fishing town south of Sydney, when a white pointer shark suddenly attacked.

"I've never felt fear in my life like what I felt in the jaws of that white pointer," said Eden.

The 10-foot predator grabbed his head; shattering his face mask and breaking his nose.

"I went straight into its mouth, front onwards and my shoulders, my head and one arm went down it's throat."

Eric believes his lead-lined vest stopped the shark from ripping him in half. But, he says, it was his decision to fight back, that saved his life.

"I poked my fingers into the eye socket which the shark reacted to in a way that it opened its mouth a bit," said Nerhus. "The first thing when I jabbed it in the eye and retrieved my upper body and head from its mouth was to put my rig back in and get a breath of air."

He was surrounded by a pool of his own blood as he surfaced to call for help.

His 25-year-old son, who was on a nearby fishing boat, heard the plea. He pulled him from the water and called an ambulance.

Aside from the broken nose, Eric suffered injuries to his torso and left arm, but he's in good spirits.

"I couldn't think of a worse way to go than to end up as fish food."