Surfer recovering after run-in with shark off Surf City

SURF CITY, N.C. (WTVD) -- A surfer is recovering after an encounter with a shark near the pier off Surf City.

A spinner shark grazed the surfer's leg while she was in the water.

"Sharks doing their thing, jumping around eating bait, one actually jumped up and just kind of on its way back down kind of grazed her leg. She did get some lacerations on her leg, but it wasn't like a true shark bite, it was more of a brush up encounter," Surf City Fire Chief, Allen Wilson said.

The surfer managed to get herself out of the water and actually drove herself to the hospital for treatment.

One person at the beach saw the whole thing happen.

"My daughter and I were going for a morning walk looking for shells and shark teeth and things like that, and we heard the sirens going. We saw people running in from the water. Wasn't really sure, we knew they were surfers, and then when we got up closer, I saw like the cut in her leg, and she was about my size," Laurie Weidert said.

Experts are warning swimmers to stay aware when in the water. Not only for sharks, but for stingrays and jellyfish as well.