10 things I learned after swimming with sharks without a cage
- Sharks are misunderstood, as I learned after swimming with them off the coast of Moorea.
- Media portrays them as vicious, but sharks aren't interested in humans.
- They have a sharp sense of smell and hearing to prey on the fish in their natural food chain.
- Sharks are quickly disappearing, which is problematic for the oceans.
Let me make one thing perfectly clear before I get started — I have been afraid of getting attacked by a shark since I moved to Hawaii half a decade ago. What I knew about these ocean predators was what I've seen on television shows and movies, which could be summed up in a single word — terrifying. In an effort to abolish the fear I had, I did a popular cage dive here in Hawaii a few years ago. It had a surprising impact on me. I found that after doing it, I wanted to learn and experience more.
Life happened and I got busy, but at the start of 2018 I made a vow to cross off a big bucket list item — to free dive with sharks naturally — no cage, no chum, just me and them. So, when I traveled to Tahiti a few weeks ago and had the opportunity to do just that three miles off the coast of Moorea with a marine biologist, I jumped at the opportunity and into the water. See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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