The Bolden Constructions carpenter hit the beach on Monday afternoon as the temperature reached 32 degrees in Warrnambool.

“I was out having a surf out behind the kelp bed between The Flume and Granny’s Grave,” he said.

“I glanced over my shoulder and saw a bit of a shadow. I paid a little bit more attention because it was glassy water and I could see an abundance of marine life.

“I saw that it was a shark, roughly about six-foot long. I paddled along and it cruised towards me. I turned my board sideways and it veered off.”

Mr Hall said the shark moved “effortlessly”.

“It was pretty magic to see,” he said.

“I decided to follow it and see what it was up to. I just cruised along within about five metres of it for about 150 metres along the back of the kelp bed to the back of The Flume.

“I could see some other surfers out in our direct line, so I took a couple of quicker paddles and got up beside it and ushered it out towards the deeper water.”

Mr Hall has been stand-up paddle boarding for about two years, after his fiancee was given a board for Christmas.

He said the shark appeared “really calm”.

“I was calm too and just really enjoyed watching it,” he said.

He wasn’t sure what type of shark it was, but others had suggested to him it could have been a mako.