Glen Folkard could be considered unlucky - he's only the second shark attack victim Redhead Beach has seen in 80 years.
But mates of the veteran surfer will tell you he's a very lucky man.
Once the 44-year-old, known simply as ''Lenny'', suffered the unlikely misfortune of being the first person attacked by a shark at the popular beach near Newcastle since 1932, his luck almost immediately improved.
Redhead local Steve Tidey said yesterday that Mr Folkard may have been in the wrong place during Wednesday's attack but he couldn't have picked a better time.
''To begin with it was so fortuitous that he wasn't 100m down main beach surfing by himself,'' said Mr Tidey, who was out in the water during the attack.
''He was surrounded by people he's known for a long time who are experienced in the water and knew to stay calm.
''Nathan [Visscher] swam towards him and helped push him on to a wave and the white water washed him directly to the lifeguard truck which was waiting to start treating him.
''There were even off-duty paramedics on the beach who came over and put a tourniquet around the wound and waited for the ambulance, which arrived pretty quickly.
''Everyone stayed calm, everyone knew their role and no one tried to be a hero.
''The situation could have been far worse.''
Speaking for the first time since the attack, Mr Folkard said after the first attack it looked like the shark was coming back to finish him off.
''A big shark hit me side on just like a car, bang,'' he said.
''He turned me 180 degrees, then I went off the board. He had hold of my leg at that point, he stuck his teeth in down near the knee.
''While he was chewing on me I managed to get back on the surfboard and started screaming. The only thing I thought about was the kids and when I turned around to see where he was there was just a blood trail of 20 feet and he was following.
''He was a dark shadow at the end of the blood trail, so he was coming to have a second go.''
Mr Tidey, who visited his mate in John Hunter Hospital yesterday, said Mr Folkard was shocked to have received so many visitors.
''He told me he thinks he might be a bit nasty in the surf, like he doesn't talk to people enough,'' he said.
''So he was surprised to get so many messages and well-wishers coming into the hospital to visit him.
''He said, 'I might be a bit nicer when I'm in the surf now that I realise how many people care about me'.''
Friends and customers of Mr Folkard's businesses Downunder Tattoo on the Pacific Highway at Charlestown took to Facebook yesterday to wish him all the best in his recovery.
Mr Tidey described Mr Folkard as a ''quiet bloke'' who ''keeps to himself in the surf''.
''He has come down here for years,'' Mr Tidey said. ''He either goes to Redhead or Dudley, depending if its off-shore or not. I surf with him all the time and he doesn't really complain too much, he just sort of does his own thing.''
Mr Tidey said it was indicative of Mr Folkard's personality that he was floating about 15m or so from the rest of the group behind Shark Tower Rock on Wednesday afternoon - catching right-handers on to Little Beach while the rest of the group headed left.
Mr Folkard, believed to be a father of three, was attacked by either a 2m juvenile great white or a bull shark, at about 4.40pm. The shark took a bite out of his upper thigh and his best surfboard before dragging him under the water.
Mr Visscher has been credited as one surfer who came to his aid and Mr Tidey said he saw his friend ''make a beeline'' towards a disoriented Mr Folkard while the shark was still circling.
Lake Macquarie council's beach lifeguard team leader, Paul Stone, praised Mr Visscher for his selflessness and several beachgoers suggested the Redhead regular should be presented with a bravery award for his efforts.
Mr Folkard was listed as being in a stable condition in John Hunter Hospital last night, He is expected to undergo surgery in the coming days.
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