A man has has fought off a hammerhead shark using only his kayak paddle, off the coast of Santa Barbara, California.
Mark McCracken filmed the 15 minute encounter with the "super aggressive" predator after it repeatedly attempted to ram his vessel.
The 33-year-old appeared to take the whole experience in his stride and at the end of the video he boasts: "Pretty sure I just kicked a hammerhead’s ass."
A hammerhead shark circles the kayak
The footage shows the shark circling around McCracken's boat several times, only retreating when batted away by the construction worker.
In an interview with NBC News McCracken said: "It hit the back of my kayak twice and I turned around to see it,
"I couldn't tell if he was biting [the kayak] or if he was head-butting it but soon as I saw it I just started going at him with the paddle."
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McCracken said that even as he decided to row into shore, the animal's fin was seen continuing in pursuit.
Although potentially dangerous, Hammerhead sharks rarely attack humans.
According to Shark Insider, only three of the nine Hammerhead species (Great, Scalloped, and Smooth Hammerheads) have ever attacked a human.
The marine animal's inquisitive behaviour can sometimes be mistaken for aggression, which can be diffused if treated with respect.