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John Concepcion - AHN News Writer

Sydney, Australia (AHN) - A kayaker on Monday repelled the attack of an 8-foot great white shark along the coast of one of Australia's popular beaches using her paddle and escaped to safety with only a minor bite wound in the wrist.

Linda Whitehurst, 52, was paddling her kayak near the eastern coast of Byron Bay when the shark lunged at her and knocked her off her craft. The shark reportedly bit a portion of the kayak.

Whitehurst said she hit the shark with her double-ended paddle until it let go and went away. She was able to paddle back to the shore.

In an interview with an Australian TV network, Whitehurst said, "I'm going to lose a limb, that was my first thought."

She added, "I had my blade in my hands so I punched at it with my blade. That was the only way I was going to survive."I just kept punching, punching, punching at the shark until it swam away."

Once back at shore, Whitehurst received four stitches in her right arm for the bite wound.

Her husband Glen also told the network that he saw the shark rise up and bite the back of his wife's kayak.

He said, "(It) literally lifted itself in the back of Linda's boat ... and had the back of the boat in its mouth and gave it a shake."

Half an hour after the said attack, the beach was closed, but was re-opened a few hours after.

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Shark Attack

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kayak , scary , shark attack , great white