A South Australian group ignored this advice when, as reported in the Sydney Morning Herald, a pre-wedding surf session involving the groom and his best man ended up with the best man in hospital.
He had been attacked by what is thought to have been a bull shark, between 2m and 3m long.
Best man Ben Morcom, his cousin and groom Ryan Calder, plus local man Damien Parker, were sitting on their boards just metres apart, waiting for a wave at a site called the Boulders inside Port Stephens, when the shark struck.
It approached from behind and, in the lunge, caused Morcom a deep wound to the buttocks. Calder and Parker splashed as hard as they could to scare the shark away. It obliged, releasing Morcom and swimming under Parker before disappearing.
The trio got to shore and Morcom was driven to an ambulance station before being airlifted to hospital for surgery.
It was not reported whether or not the wedding, due to take place today (20 December), was still going ahead. Let's hope that it is, and that Morcom could contribute to the occasion with what would surely be a unique address from his hospital bed.
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