A man who was bitten by a shark south of Adelaide at the weekend says the shark released him when he punched it repeatedly in the mouth.

Dean Brougham, 25, is recovering in hospital from arm and leg injuries. He has had an operation on his hand and he is awaiting surgery on his leg.

He told reporters from his hospital bed he had been spear fishing in the water at Second Valley for just seven minutes when the shark attacked.

He thinks it may have been a white pointer.

"I came up, as soon as I got to the surface I felt someone, something pulling my leg and I thought it was just someone being a smart arse, and I turned around and just saw the big face looking at me," he said.

"It was unimaginable, just freaky, just seeing this big monster's head just looking at you."

Mr Brougham said the shark fled when he punched it in the mouth.

"I just started beating it, just trying to get rid of it, and then it let me go and then I was just straight towards the cliffs," he said.

"I can't believe first of all I got attacked by a shark, I can't believe second of all that I got out of the water, and I can't believe that I've still got everything attached."

Family relieved

Mr Brougham's mother, Gloria Battistella, says she was overcome with relief to see her son alive.

"We're a very lucky family to have him still with us," she said.

Mr Brougham's sister Laura flew from Melbourne to see her brother.

"It was amazing; I came in with all little gifts for him and everyone else was saying hello, and I felt like it was just Christmas, and I was waiting to hug my brother," she said.

Mr Brougham, who is recovering in Adelaide's Flinders Medical Centre, says he will take a shark protection device the next time he goes into the water.

Authorities have been monitoring a school of bronze whalers in the area.