A California Instagram model was bitten by a shark while she was calmly enjoying her time in the ocean off the Bahamas' Staniel Cay. The incident took place last month and Katarina Zarutskie shared her story Monday.

Zarutskie, a 19-year-old nursing student from Laguna Beach, was swimming with nurse sharks and was being photographed when she suddenly felt her arm being yanked down. One of the nurse sharks bit her arm and started to drag her under the water.

Her boyfriend's father who was taking photos of her capturing the exact moment when Zarutskie came in contact with the 5-foot-long shark.

"He had my wrist in his mouth and I could feel his teeth sinking into my arm," Zarutskie told NBC News on Monday. "I was pulled underwater for a few seconds and then ripped my wrist out of the shark’s mouth as fast as I could."

Zarutskie managed to free herself from the shark's grasp and swam to some steps — holding her bleeding arm out of the water — and got out of the ocean.

"I didn’t scream or anything. It felt like 10 people squeezing my arm really hard and the shark pulled me under water," she said. "I honestly think adrenaline kicked in. I dive, and I knew I needed to get my hand out. I ripped my wrist out in a certain way and I put my arm above my head immediately so the blood didn’t hit the water. I was happy when I got out of the water."

Immediately after getting out of the water, Zarutskie went to a clinic at the marina and received treatment for the wound.

"[The doctors] now believe that I still have pieces of the shark teeth in my arm and I will forever have a scar," Zarutskie said, adding: "I am so fortunate that I still have my arm and my life."

Below are some tips as to how to avoid and survive a shark attack, courtesy Florida Museum of Natural History website.

1. Choose to swim in a group as sharks most often attack lone individuals.

2. Don't wander too far from the shore as it may be difficult to return fast for help in case a shark is spotted.

3. Avoid the water at night, dawn, or dusk as sharks are most active at these times.

4. In case of a cut, do not enter the water as blood attracts sharks.

5. Leave the water immediately if a shark is spotted.

6. Avoid going into waters containing sewage as it attracts bait fishes, which in turn attract sharks.

7. Don't splash a lot in the water. Erratic movements can attract sharks.

8. Avoid swimming toward a shark if it's seen in the water.

9. Do whatever it takes to get away after a shark attack.

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