Inspirational Navy diver who lost his leg and forearm in a horrific shark attack takes to the water as a surfer at Bondi and gets a round of applause from the locals

A former navy diver who was mauled by a bull shark in Sydney Harbour is 'loving life' at Australia's most famous beach. Paul de Gelder lost his leg and right forearm in the horrific 2009 attack during a routine anti-terrorism training exercise off Garden Island.

 

Seven years on, the 39-year-old is an author, a motivational speaker, an animal rights advocate - and an avid surfer. 'Loving living Bondi Beach and getting a wave in every day,' he Tweeted earlier this month.  

Seven years after the attack, the 39-year-old is a motivational speaker, an animal rights advocate - and an avid surfer. Above, fellow surfers at Bondi cheer him on

The former HMAS Penguin diver lost two limbs in the shocking incident, but saved his life by punching the shark on the nose, driving it away. 

I felt an almighty whack on the leg,' Mr de Gelder wrote in his 2011 book No Time For Fear.

'I didn't think too much of it at first. It didn't hurt. Half a second later I turned over, looked down to check my leg and saw the huge grey head of a bull shark, one of nature's most aggressive man-eaters. 

'What's more, I could see the upper row of its teeth across my leg. Its lip was pulled back and its mouth looked enormous.

The former HMAS Penguin diver lost two limbs in the shocking incident, but saved his life by punching the shark on the nose, driving it away

'We must have stared at each other for about three seconds but as soon as I recovered from the shock, I started fighting for my life.' If the shark had hit the femoral artery in his leg he would have bled out before he was pulled from the water, doctors said at the time.

'I've faced pretty much the worst that life can throw at me, and survived, and thrived,' de Gelder wrote in an essay published by The Huffington Post in 2012. 'I know the human body can endure much more than we give it credit for, and with determination and the right attitude you can achieve anything you set your mind to.' 

I felt an almighty whack on the leg,' Mr de Gelder wrote in his 2011 book No Time For Fear. 'I didn't think too much of it at first. It didn't hurt. Half a second later I turned over, looked down to check my leg and saw the huge grey head of a bull 

shark.' Pictured, Mr de Geldger takes a jog in Pyrmont,

 

'I've faced pretty much the worst that life can throw at me, and survived, and thrived,' de Gelder wrote in an essay published by The Huffington Post in 2012

'I know the human body can endure much more than we give it credit for, and with determination and the right attitude you can achieve anything you set your mind to,' he said