'He's still out there': Kayaker records desperate battle to fight off shark

A kayaker has filmed his frightening run in with a hammerhead shark which followed him on a fishing trip.

Mark McCracken was fishing off the shore of Gaviota State Beach near Santa Barbara, California in September 2015.

But while out on the water he noticed he was being followed by a hammerhead shark.

In the video, Mr McCracken looks over his shoulder at the beast swimming in behind him.

Fearing for his life in a small kayak, he uses the end of his oar to fend it off.

He prods it several times and the shark leaves before returning soon later.

It continues to circle him as he violently jabs to scare it away.

Mr McCracken groans, exhausted and says the shark isn’t leaving.

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“He does not like me at all,” Mr McCracken says.

The shark continues to stalk him as he nears the shore.

“What are you doing bro? Get out of here,” he says to the beast.

Mr McCracken eventually gets onto dry land and looks out at the water.

“He’s still out there,” he says, pointing.

The full encounter went for more than 15 minutes.

Mr McCracken told NBC News the hammerhead hit the back of his kayak twice and said it followed him until the water was only 90cm deep.

“Even after I got out of my kayak and made it to the beach he was sitting right there,” he said.

“It was pretty creepy.”