Healing in the Lineup After Sydney Shark Tragedy
Last Saturday at Long Reef, 57-year-old accountant Mercury Psillakis paddled to the back of the pack, waving six mates in and yelling “shark!” Moments later a 3.5 m white pointer hit him from behind. His quick warning saved every surfer in the circle, but cost him his life.
Now the Long Reef Boardriders are running free group-counselling sessions and organised paddle-outs so the witnesses can trade trauma for stoke. “Some are doing it tougher than others,” close friend Toby Martin told UNILAD, “but they’re strong—and the water is where we heal.”
Martin’s ten-year-old has begged him not to surf again; instead he’s joining the club’s sunrise circle, proof that the best antidote to fear is often friends, foam and a shared set wave. If you’re in the Northern Beaches and need support, drop by the clubhouse—boards and hugs provided.