When jumping into the water on the coast of New Zealand, Adam Walker was assured by his friend that he should not worry about any sharks. However, the swimmer had a shock of his life when he came across one during his time in the water, and had it not been a pod of dolphins circling him for protection he might as well not be alive today to tell us the tale.
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Adam Walker, a British swimmer went through a near-death experience after he was pursued by a great white shark.
The Nottingham man was swimming off the coast of New Zealand back in 2014 when the predator was seen lurking in the depths below.
At the time, he was told that sharks weren't around and he would be able to enjoy a fear free dip in the Cook Strait.
Credit: Adam Walker/Facebook
However, Adam was in luck that a pod of dolphins decided to protect him from harm as they circled him.
In footage shared to YouTube, Adam can be seen in the midst of his 16-mile challenge, as a support boat travels alongside him.
Then suddenly a group of dolphins pop up out of the water, swimming around him in circles.
Credit: Adam Walker/Facebook
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A couple is even seen jumping into the air just beside him.
Taking to Facebook, Adam talked about this surreal incident and how he felt after he experienced the dolphins trying to protect him.
"Swimming with dolphins on my 6th of Oceans 7 swims 'Cook Strait' open water swimming doesn't get any better than this!! Dream come true!" he wrote.
"I’d like to think they were protecting me and guiding me home. This swim will stay with me forever."
Credit: Adam Walker/Facebook
Even after noticing the dolphins circling him, it was a long time before Adam realized that there was also a shark lurking around him.
He had been told by a friend before getting in the water that sharks wouldn't be an issue, so he wasn't best pleased when he discovered the truth.
Speaking to the Marlborough Express, Adam said that he 'had a go at him when I got out'.
Credit: Adam Walker/Facebook
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Dolphins are often targeted by sharks, and rely on each other in groups for protection.
The animals use their large snouts to prod sharks if they come in to attack, beating their underbelly or gills.
The Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) organisation said: "The main advantage dolphins have against shark attacks is safety in numbers; they stick together in pods and defend one another from a shark’s attack by chasing and ramming it.
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"Dolphins are able to protect vulnerable members of their pods and extended families such as young dolphins and injured or sick dolphins."
Adam completed his swim in 8 hours and 36 minutes.
It was the sixth in a series of gruelling swimming challenges he set himself to try and raise some money and awareness for the WDC.