We all know Kelly Slater is the most successful professional surfer from Florida.
But what about the most successful amateur? That title goes to 62-year-old “Gnarly” Charley Hajek.
Originally from Jacksonville Beach, Florida but now residing in New Smyrna, Hajek’s been competing on the ESA and NSSA amateur circuit since 1983, winning 18 East Coast titles in 40 years. An eternal surf stoked grom that now operates a surf series for surf stoked groms, Hajek was on a hot streak of 148 days straight days of surfing on Sunday, when a bull shark chomped down on his ankle in a few feet of water at the New Smyrna Inlet, affectionately known to Floridian surfers as “Shark Park”.
“I could tell I was on top of something,” Hajek told the Daytona Beach Journal. “That split second I go ‘Oh (expletive) I bet I’m on a shark.’ By the time I even thought of that, it bit me so fast. It was so quick and the thrust was so powerful that when I was in his mouth for that split second, it bit down on me and let me go.”
On the beach, he used his leash as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, and then drove himself to the hospital, where they gave him six stitches. Lucky for Hajek, the shark missed his achilles by half an inch, meaning no serious damage was done and he’ll only be out of the water for a week.
Another day, another victim at the shark bite capital of the world. Although, is it fair to call Hajek a victim if he looks this stoked?
Related: Florida Surfer Dies After Collision With Daytona Beach Pier