fear,believingIwouldbe inasteelcage for
protection.TurnsoutIwaswrong.That’s
nothow theyroll in theBahamas,where
a fewadventureoperatorsspecialize in
ploppingdivers in theoceancage-free
to facilitateanose-to-snoutexperience
duringa“shark feeding,”withasmanyas
40speciesofsharks in thewholeBahamas.
WhenmysonandIarriveat the
UnderwaterExplorersSociety,UNEXSO,
inFreeportonGrandBahama, I
learn fromshark-divingexpertand
conservationistCristinaZenato that
ourunderwatercompanionswillbe
CaribbeanReefs, oneof themostdocile
sharks in theCaribbean.
“Themediahasalwaysmadesharksout
tobeviciousanimals, and they’renot,”she
says,noting thatwhat’susuallyclassified
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NOVEMBER2015
73
candothis.Ready?Lefthandonyour
weightbelt, righthandonyouraerator, two
fingersonyour facemask.One, two… .”
Inod, ifonly toconfirm thisreallybad
decision, extendablackflipper toward
thechoppydepthsand jump intowhat is
knownasSharkJunction.
BEFOREPLUNGING INTO
thesea, I’d
been followingwhat themedia labeled
the“Summerof theShark,”a felicitous
nod to the40thanniversaryof therelease
of
Jaws
.Themoviescaredmeswimless
asachild, and it stillmakesmescan the
horizon forfinswhenbodysurfingat the
Jerseyshore.
Despite theseominousharbingers,
Jacobdesperatelywanted to tryshark
diving, soIdecided itwas time to facemy
“THEMEDIAHASALWAYSMADESHARKSOUTTO
BEVICIOUSANIMALS,ANDTHEY’RENOT.”
ANATTACK ISOFTENMISIDENTIFICATIONOFFOOD.
TOPANDBOTTOM
:
Sharks circleCristinaZenato
(above), a sharkwhisperer of sorts.
PHOTOS
VI CTOR DOUI EB ; CRI ST INA ZENATO L I BRARY
