(CNN) On Sunday evening, Max Keliikipi was driving home from work when he saw the waves at Makaha Beach on Oahu, Hawaii.

The 16-year-old grabbed his surfboard and paddled out, as he's done almost every day this summer.

About 100 yards away from shore, he saw something sticking out of the water, but "blending in with the reef," he told CNN.

Keliikipi thought it was a turtle at first, but soon realized it was a shark. So he jumped up, sitting with his feet on his board, not letting his legs dangle below the surface as easy prey for the aquatic predator.

The shark went straight for him, first bumping him off his surfboard.

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