Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming

During my first few trips out to the Great Barrier Reef from our anchored boat, I literally had to tell myself to keep swimming and swim as fast as you can until you reach the reef. Since we were on a decently sized boat, we couldn’t anchor too close to the reef. Plus, we had to create an atmosphere that was beneficial for the divers and snorkelers. However, having read many shark tales of Australia and having my nervous-nelly mother reiterate to me that Australia is known for their sharks and to “be careful, be careful, be careful,” the swim over the open water of the deep seas with zero visibility was outright frightening.

When I shared my fear, the on-board staff explained how the sharks are harmless and are not interested in us humans. It is different when you are swimming amongst them rather than on a surfboard. The reason is that when only your legs are hanging over the surfboard you do look like prey and you are also vulnerable to attack because you cannot see them (sharks love the covert operation, it is their way of hunting and makes for a better meal in the end when it was stealthily achieved). That being said, when you are swimming with them, you are a part of their world and would make for a terrible attack. Not to mention, they hate the bubbles our snorkels and dive equipment make. It confuses them. Also, I was swimming with reef sharks and the largest fish they would be hunting is way less than a meter long – so we are just too big and out of the ordinary for them.

After this extended explanation one of the dive masters added, “plus, they hate the taste of humans and human blood – they don’t want to eat us, they may bite but their intentions are never to fully eat.” SWEET! I was getting over my fear of the sharks and you tell me they may bite but don’t want to eat me. Well I don’t want to get bitten either!!

My fear didn’t really subside the first day and my nervousness may or may not have lead to me “warming up” my wetsuit a few times. Later that night the divers took a night dive (around 9PM) under the stars and pitch-black surroundings. We were the only boat in site, alone, in the middle of the ocean. During their dive some staffers took out the leftover dinner and chucked it into the water to “freak out” the divers. Sure enough, heaps of fish and sharks (coming to eat the fish which were going for the food – great example of the food pyramid minus the human food element) all surrounded the divers and attacked the food and fish. It was insane!! When the sharks noticed the divers, though, they scurried and the food was left for the fish. It was interesting and refreshing to see how truly scared the sharks are of the humans. This gave me great reassurance for my next day in the ocean.

Sure enough, my first dip in the ocean was heightened to a new level with the presence of sharks. By my third dip, I was following the sharks around to get good shots on my camera – I had to show everyone I swam with the scariest creature of the sea!



Shark!


Shark


Swim away from he sharks!!




Where am I?