Thursday, October 19, 2006

Swimming with the sharks...

What does a lawyer do on her tropical honeymoon?



Swim with the Sharks of course!!

We went snorkeling in the Bahamas on our honeymoon. The final snorkel was a "shark dive." Now, I have a fear of sharks, a rather impressive, illogical, irrational, they can get smart and grow legs and come eat me on land kind of fear. Therefore, I was not intending to get into the water while there were any sharks around at all. However, during one of the reef dives, there was a lone shark fairly near by, and he didn't hunt me down with "jaws"-esque intensity so I began to relax. Lee said they weren't going to attack a lawyer anyway, professional courtesy and all. Being our honeymoon, I decided to forgo the requisite violent response.

Then we got to the last dive. The shark dive. I looked into the water and saw an ocean teeming with sharks.



I felt faint, I felt certain this was a bad idea, I felt I had to do it anyway. (I never said I am always intelligent.)

Yes, in spite of my inner brain, which at this point was screaming loudly while attempting to make my arms and legs cling to the ship, I entered the shark infested waters.

I followed the rules, followed the rope out into the water, and looked down. There were a lot of sharks, about 20 - 30 of them investigating the bait box below. However, the bait box was really, really far below, about 30-40 feet deep, so the sharks weren't so bad. I started to calm down. I spent some time ogling the fiercesome predators in their environment, I started to enjoy myself. Then I saw movement out of the corner of my right eye. I looked to the right.... and calmly ambling towards me with the best of intentions was a frackin shark! It was perhaps 10-15 feet away, near the surface of the water, peering at me as if to say "What's all this then? Got any food?"

Well at this point I choked a little on seawater because one shouldn't actually say "This is a F&*&ing bad idea" while snorkeling. (Who knew?)

So I began to edge towards the boat with an outward calm. It took far too long to get out of the water, but eventually I was on dry land again. Whew.

Then they called everyone in and pulled up the bait box. And fed them.

This is what a shark frenzy looks like...



This is what sharks do when they are being taunted with dead fish by young Bahamian divers.






Notice the surprising amount of boat underneath that shark! The sharks started coming up out of the water and onto the back of the boat. Yes my friends, it seemed as though they were indeed growing legs and coming to get me on dry land! But there were no legs, they were leaping on the to back end for the fish, and there was about 6 inches of boat wall between me and the sharks. Tee hee hee.... heh.

Anyway, I survived, and enjoyed it! Though the experience has not really eradicated my shark fear, but then again, I admitted it was irrational. I am not sure I would ever do this again, but I can certainly say I am pleased I was able to greet my fellow sharks personally, without the assistance of a set of cement galoshes.

4 comments:

Woman with a Hatchet said...

Eek!

I really rather liked the cement galoshes line, if I do say so myself. The line about professional courtesy? Not surprised it was made by Lee at all.

Geez!

Congrats for getting in the water anyway! Too bad no one on the boat took a picture of you in the water with them!

Scylla said...

We were all in the water... surprisingly enough! I am rather proud of my momentary bravery!

The Observer said...

Hmm I think I have a new additional life goal . . .

Scylla said...

I definately think we should all swim with sharks. At least all our group members. Then we can all get matching shark tattoos!!

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