THERE were sombre scenes at Falcon Bay near Mandurah yesterday as friends and family gathered to remember surfer Ben Gerring.
Mr Gerring, pictured, died in hospital on Friday night after being critically injured in a shark attack on Tuesday. 
A surfboard was sprayed with the simple but poignant words: "R.I.P Ben". Close friend of about 20 years Shane Hartnup added a second surfboard to the growing shrine, with the words "R.I.P Benny, love Falcon boys".
"From what Rick (Mr Gerring's brother) was saying last night the people at the hospital have never seen someone fight so strong and to hold on for that long," Mr Hartnup said.
Mr Hartnup said Mr Gerring was a "down-to-earth" happy person who loved the ocean and was in love with his soulmate, Jasmine Boyer.
The couple met working in mines and Mr Gerring had just learnt he was to become a father. Mr Hartnup said many local surfers had ordered Shark Shields in the wake of this week's attack. He said Mr Gerring had a fear of sharks and did not like surfing on his own. Mr Hartnup said some surfers believed the ocean was becoming too dangerous.
"I think the sharks have gotten out of hand," he said.
"All these people they're worried about killing sharks, but to clear land and build a house you're killing a kangaroo, you're killing a chicken and cow to eat dinner, your fish and chips are shark."Falcon Bay surfer Peter Beardmore, 40, said most local surfers were happy the shark believed responsible for the attack had been killed but he said the question of a wider cull was a "political one". "It certainly feels like a real threat, everyone is on edge," he said.