On the 28th January 2019 at 06:00 Deon Nel, a visitor from Pretoria staying with the Crandons, was swimming in the waves between Middle and Main Beach. Whilst wading through the waves amongst the regular Wave Warriors, he felt something attach itself around his right ankle and lower leg. At the time Deon was waist deep intending to get a bit further out but stopped as he reported that the sea creature remained attached despite his best efforts to dislodge it by kicking it off. He described feeling something hard attack his foot multiple times. After falling over and at least 10 seconds later, whatever it was, fortunately, let go of his upper calf. He walked to the shore and it was only when he reached the shallows and saw the blood in the water that he realised he had been hurt. Deon gave special mention of Dr Galpin. She attended to his knife-like cut wounds and was ‘fantastic’.
It is still not known what caused the wounds, but it has been suggested that it might have been a ragged tooth shark or an octopus or a stingray or a large cuttlefish that has two tentacles with blade-like arms. Incidentally, a huge ray was seen swimming in the Middle Beach channel around that time.
Thank you to Deon for the information and the photos