Mike Coots: Surfer, Shark Bite Survivor & Ocean Photographer

Mike Coots grew up on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The lifestyle fuelled his obsession with the ocean along with an aspiration to be a professional bodyboarder.

When he was 18 years old, Mike and his teammates took to the water one morning looking to catch a wave at Majors Bay where Mike was almost killed by a Tiger Shark. Mike’s survival instincts helped him paddle back to shore and with the help of his friends and passersby who witnessed the attack, Mike survived but underwent emergency amputation surgery losing his leg. 

But instead of turning his back on the water, Mike went from shark survivor to shark supporter. Mike began to learn about sharks – their behaviour, their quirks and their environmental challenges. 

He has since spent his life advocating for their protection and has turned his hand to photography in a bid to share sharks’ beauty and their critical place in the oceans ecosystem. 

Today, Mike and I discuss his recovery, shark conservation and his new book, Shark Portraits. To create this captivating book, Mike travelled the globe, free diving and scuba diving, often without a cage to record sharks.

Mike has turned his adversity into activism and his respect for sharks and the ocean is contagious and inspiring. I hope you enjoy his story today.

You can find out more about Mike via his website or Instagram or purchase a copy of Shark Portraits here.

Two documentaries are also mentioned during this podcast. One is Shark Water and the other is Envoy – Shark Cull. 

This audio is edited by Peter Magill.