A SUNDAY surf turned sour for a Byron Bay chef when he was bitten by a suspected 2m shark at Seven Mile Beach yesterday.

Jabez Reitman was left with a cut to his back and puncture wounds to his buttocks after he was bitten by what he believes was a 2m to 3m shark.

At about 6.45am the father of one and local chef was 60m offshore when he said he was attacked, before frantically paddling back to shore.

He was able to take himself to the Byron Bay Hospital and from there was later transferred to the Gold Coast University Hospital for surgery.

Speaking to the media, Mr Reitman said he just tried to say calm for the sake of those around him.

A 35 y/o surfer has been rushed to a #GoldCoast hospital after he was attacked by a shark in Byron Bay. #7NewsQ pic.twitter.com/8rc6FCNSnR — 7News Brisbane (@7NewsBrisbane) February 8, 2015

“I was a bit freaked out,” he said. “I tried to be cool, calm and collected.”

Mr Reitman (pictured below) said the shark “just jumped up and grabbed me”.

The 35-year-old regularly surfs in the area but said he regretted this morning’s trip.

“(I’m a) bit shocked ... I think I should have stayed in bed,” he said.

Despite the shock attack Mr Reitman’s began messaging friends about his newest “story”.

Friend Dean Gibson joked Mr Reitman should contact the media.

“He sent me some photos not long after it ... and then just jokingly I said to him, ‘Have you rung Channel 9 yet’ and he said, ‘Yes already have, interview tonight on the telly’,” the Pass Cafe owner said.

“So he was straight on to it, that’s him, that’s his character.

“He seems okay, he lived to tell the tale.”

Experts yesterday were unavailable to confirm if the bite was from a shark.

Mr Gibson was convinced it was.

“There was a big gouge out of him but there are other big teeth marks that were sort of like puncture marks,” he said.