Kayaker paddling in a picturesque Melbourne bay is left terrified after spotting an ominous fin in the water
- Melbourne Kayaker spots mysterious fin at Port Phillip Bay yesterday morning
- The fish is believed to be a Southern Ocean Sunfish, Mola Ramsayi
- Huge round-bodied fish that can be seen on the surface of Aussie waters
A kayaker has opened up about the terrifying moment he spotted a giant fin just metres away from him while paddling in Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay.
The man shared the photo of the fin on Reddit, after taking a picture close to the shore as he paddled on Sunday morning.
'Shark! (Cue the jaws music)', he captioned the photo of the ominous-looking fin - revealing just how terrified he was when he spotted it.
The kayaker, known as 'NamcheBarwa', then frantically paddled to the shore, jumped out of kayak and bolted to a rock so he could get a better view of the 'shark'.
A nab has opened up about the terrifying moment he spotted a giant fin while kayaking in a Melbourne bay
But shortly after he left the wasn't long before he realised that the 'shark' was a harmless sunfish.
The man spent the rest of his time at the bay following the huge fish as it swam in the shallows.
'They are quite rare to see in Port Phillip Bay so I feel quite privileged to have had a close encounter with this visitor from the deep,' he wrote.
'It's such a different experience seeing a wild creature at close quarters when you are in their element.'
Sunfish can grow more than three metres in length, four metres in height and weigh up to two-and-a-half tonnes.
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The fish is rarely seen in Port Phillip Bay (pictured) so the kayaker feel 'privileged'
There are five species of sunfish which live in waters off Australia's south - from Sydney to Tasmania and Western Australia's south-west.
The fish swim close to the surface to not only 're-heat' after swimming to the depth of the ocean, but also to allow seagulls and other seabirds to eat parasites living on their flesh .
After watching the giant fish in the wild, the kayaker decided to call it a day.
'Curiosity satisfied, I paddled away leaving Mola Ramsayi in peace,' he wrote.
Sunfish are found in oceans stretching from southern New South Wales, to Tasmania and Western Australia's south-west (above)
The enormous fish can grow to more than 3 metres in length and 4.2 metres in height (stock image)
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