Divemaster Renier Kruger (26) is out of hospital and recovering well after his ‘love bite’ from a Oceanic Black tip shark named Smiley.

Last Friday, Renier from Umtentweni was out on a baited dive off Protea Banks in Shelly Beach when Smiley took a bite of his right hand.

He was taken to Hibiscus Private Hospital by Mi7 Ambulance Service, where he underwent more than five hours of surgery.

Speaking to the Herald yesterday (Wednesday) he said he is doing pretty good, but in a lot of pain.

“Luckily, I have a high pain threshold. The surgery to reconstruct my hand was a success, and if I stick with physio I should be able to get into the water in five to six weeks,” he said.
During his 14 years of diving, Renier, who has been on more than a 1 000 dives with sharks firmly believes Smiley didn’t intentionally bite him.

“I have many reasons as to why I think she gave me a ‘love bite'”. One reason being that Smiley could be partially blind in her left eye, and the other is that she mistook my hand as bait, as we were in the water for some 30 minutes, so your skin goes a grainy white colour,” he said.

Renier is counting the days until he can get back into the water.

He not only has a love for sharks but is passionate about ocean life in general.

Renier believes no shark is dangerous and it is your attitude when you have them around you on a dive.

On social media, Renier has received not only positive responses and support to his story that went viral online, but also some negative feedback.

“Some of the negative responses has been from people who are uneducated about sharks and ocean life,” he said.

Turtle rescue
On a separate note, lifeguards from Hibberdene Main Beach have been hailed as heroes for saving the life of a large adult leatherback turtle.

In video clips, the lifeguards onboard a lifeboat approached the stressed out turtle tangled on a buoy line.

Senior lifeguard Musa Cele had just arrived at work when he spotted fins splashing at the shark nets.

He and his colleague, Nhlanhla Shebi went on the boat to investigate.

Not having a knife with them, they returned to shore and notified the Natal Sharks Board, and Bonga Majozi responded.

In the video, Musa and Bonga are seen cutting the line which had entangled the turtle.
Reacting to the incident, Ward 13 councillor Tessa Perryman said: “I’m super proud of the lifeguards. It was such an amazing act of heroism and the video speaks for itself. Not only are they saving people’s lives, but they are saving our marine life, too”.

She said if it weren’t for the lifeguards going beyond the call of duty the beautiful sea creature would have died.

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