"If you live your life in cotton wool it's not going to be too interesting," Mr Fogarty said yesterday.

He unwrapped the bandages on his wounds for the first time on Sunday for a quick swim in Lake Illawarra, not far from where shark, later identified as a dusky whaler, attacked him two weeks ago.

The dressing that had helped bind his wound was removed by his doctor yesterday morning.

Mr Fogarty admitted he was disappointed with the look of the bite, describing it as "nothing special".

"It's pretty embarrassing taking (the bandages) off and having not much left to show," he said.

"The bigger the scar the bigger the shark, I suppose.

"At least it's obvious that it wasn't a seal."

The teeth marks that encircled his right calf were visible yesterday.

Mr Fogarty, who will return to work on Saturday, was told there would be permanent scarring on his leg.

"It could have been worse," he said.

"I could have no calf."