Rodney Fox Was Attacked By A Shark — Then Went On To Devote His Life To Them
Australian National Maritime Museum Fox needed over 400 stitches after his shark attack.
At 23 years old, Rodney Fox was already the reigning South Australia spearfishing champion and had come to Aldinga Beach on December 8, 1963 to defend his title.
The competition was running smoothly, and Fox was ready to fight for the title again. Spearfishing was a relatively new sport, and the competitors knew it came with some risks, as swimming with bloody, dead fish could attract some unwanted attention from the sharks that inhabited the waters.
While Fox was spearfishing and competing for the title, things took a turn. As the young man aimed his spear at another catch, something crashed into his side. He wasn’t immediately sure what was happening, as the sudden massive pressure on his side and chest made him disoriented.
After realizing he was in the jaws of a great white shark, Fox jumped into action. He wrapped his arms around the shark in a bear hug to keep from being bitten in half. He also started hitting the side of the shark’s head and attempted to gouge its eyes with his hands.
Rodney Fox Shark ExpeditionsRodney Fox has dedicated his life to studying and protecting great white sharks.
Fox’s struggle to get free from the shark’s jaws worked, and the great white let him go. But his struggle for survival wasn’t over and the shark wasn’t exactly done attempting to attack him. After struggling out of the rope connecting him with the buoy, Fox would need a lot of luck if he was going to get rescued before he bled to death.
Fortune was on his side that day, however, and he caught the attention of a safety boat. Miraculously, Fox survived. He was gravely injured: His abdomen was fully exposed and all his ribs were broken on his left hand side. Many of his internal organs were injured or exposed. Fox ended up needing 462 stitches after the attack.
While surviving a shark attack may dissuade many from ever going back into the water, it seems to have only made Fox more curious about these animals. He went on to create the first underwater observation cage that divers could use to study sharks up close, and he has since become one of the world’s leading experts on great white sharks. As of 2025, Fox is alive and well at 85 years old.
After reading about these harrowing shark attacks, discover the story behind what archaeologists believe is the earliest shark attack in history. Then, learn about Tom and Eileen Lonergan, the couple who disappeared off the Great Barrier Reef.
