VIDEO: Dorset sea swimmer surrounded by FIFTY sharks
Oly Rush who was training to swim around the Isle of Wight captures on camera the unnerving moment 50 pairs of eyes looked up at him from the depths
A Dorset sea swimmer's describing the unnerving moment he realised he was surrounded by up to 50 sharks near Sandbanks.
Oly Rush, 36, was training to swim around the Isle of Wight and break the world record was buffeted and nibbled by mysterious creatures.
When his support kayaker Ashley McPherson shone his torch on the water they were amazed to see the eyes of about 50 sharks glaring back at them.
Oly said:
"When you're swimming along in the daylight, if you hit something be it jellyfish or seaweed, it makes you jump.
"When that happens at night and you're stationary and something hits into you... my heart rate definitely went up a bit."
They quickly identified the sharks as smooth-hounds, a UK native species which doesn't have sharp teeth and feeds mostly on crabs.
“It was pretty unnerving at first but when I realised what it was I just enjoyed the experience which was amazing.
“It was fantastic to see so many sharks in the wild just behaving naturally.
“I got my phone which was in a waterproof cover and managed to film some of them.
“After about 15 minutes I swam on and left them to it. I think they might have been attracted to a flashing light in my tow float that I swim with.
“It’s a small bag attached to me in which you can keep valuables and I had put a flashing bicycle light inside it.
“Most of them were about four feet long and I feel very privileged to have seen them."
Oly was training for a gruelling swim around the Isle of Wight at the end of the month. He's hoping to break the world record which is currently 26 hours.
Oly will set off at Seaview, near Ryde on the island, and spend the next day and night in the water.
It is equivalent to crossing the English Channel three times.
The attempt will take place at the end of the month when conditions are right.
Here's how you can support Oly on his adventure.