I love something misrepresented, misunderstood and generally misconceived. Of all the things I’ve seen in the water, sharks are the most graceful, discerning, and beautiful. They radiate finesse, power and restraint. They are living fossils, inhabiting Earth for longer than trees have been around, and have changed little since the dawn of their existence. They have supernatural abilities, 7 senses to our 5, arguably more common sense than us and undeniably serve a more positive and important role in the environment than we do.
So why does a man who was has every reason to fear and hate sharks advocate getting in the water with them? The reason lies in the life history and role that sharks play in nature. They are of critical importance to the health of the ocean, and therefore to our own health, and they are currently in dire straits.
Ask anyone what they are afraid of when they enter the ocean, and thanks to Steven Spielberg and Discovery Channel, many people have the same answer… sharks. Now ask someone who has been in the water with sharks what they would most like to see when they enter the ocean, and I can assure you many, maybe 9/10 of them, will have the same answer… sharks. So what’s the deal with the disparity?
