DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – A man spoke to Local 10 News on Monday about the frightening encounter he had with a bull shark last week in the waters off Riviera Beach.
Kyle Senkowicz, 25, told Local 10 that he is already excited about fishing again less than a week after he was bitten on the arm by a shark.
"I knew what was happening. I definitely knew it was a shark," Senkowicz said about last Wednesday's attack.
Riviera Beach Fire Rescue was called to the Sailfish Marina after Senkowicz was bitten by a 7-foot bull shark just off the Palm Beach inlet.
"The shark came up on the side of me and I barely saw him out of my peripherals and grabbed on," he said.
Senkowicz said Wednesday was supposed to be just a fun day of diving and fishing with his three friends, who were all armed with spear guns.
But by the end of the outing, the Delray Beach man, who has loved fishing for the past 20 years, found himself in the water surrounded by sharks.
Senkowicz said he was in the middle of reeling in a fish when that shark went on the attack and sunk its teeth into his right arm.
"He did one or two thrashes and let go and took off," Senkowicz said. "He obviously wasn't trying to eat me."
Senkowicz's friend helped him back into the boat and rushed him to shore, where he was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach for emergency surgery.
"They reconnected seven tendons in my wrist or my hand, and one or two in my triceps, and then they put stitches and staples on the outside -- 107 total between stitches and staples," Senkowicz said.
Senkowicz said he can't wait to get back in the water.
"You're in their territory. It's not like I was going swimming," Senkowicz said. "You know, I was spear fishing. I was ringing a dead dinner bell for the sharks. It's not the shark's fault. Obviously, he didn't want to eat me. He took a bite and left."
Senkowicz is expected to make a full recovery.
Click here to donate to a GoFundMe page set up for Senkowicz's medical expenses.