Erika Almond from St. Petersburg, Florida was with her brother Brett and several friends about 65 miles off the coast of Tampa Bay when they spotted a massive great white shark swimming towards their boat.
The shark was about 14-16 feet long and curiously circling the boat while everyone was fishing. It kept swimming closer and closer until it eventually decided to come get a taste of the motors on the back of the boat.
“We couldn’t believe what we were seeing. It was breathtaking. It came right up and took a chunk out of one of our motors,” Erika told FOX.
Brett Almond, the owner of the boat named “Offshore Therapy” said they were in about 200 feet of water and fishing for amberjack when the shark first approached.
For two to three hours, the shark investigated the boat and took nibbles of it while Erika and the others excitedly took photos and videos. At one point, the shark even rolled over on its back like, “he wanted us to rub his belly” and just floated upside down for a moment.
“We knew it was a special moment,” Erika added. “It’s truly an amazing experience to see all the things we see offshore and you never know what you’re going to find.”