June 23 – July 08, 2012
In coming to the South Pacific, I knew I would be going to a faraway place, but I didn’t know I’d be entering another reality. I don’t know when the shift occurred, but it became apparent around the time we got to Fakarava. It started with one person talking about how great the snorkeling was at South Fakarava and justifying that by the number of sharks they saw. Then another person did the same, and then more. Soon, every person I talked to rhapsodized about how many sharks they saw and how wonderful it was.
I ran into people at the little resort at the south end of Fakarava atoll and found out they come from all over the world to this out-of-the-way spot, just to dive with the sharks. From a local, I heard about an atoll south of here that’s “even better,” because there are “more sharks.” In the reality I came from, sharks are not only not sought out, they are reason to get out of the water. Here, people talk about them as though they are ponies on the beach, or deer in the forest. The more you see, the better! So, I decided to try to fit into this new reality where sharks are a good thing.
I heard that it’s normal for them to be occasionally curious about you – not to worry. So I got in the water. The main reason for someone like me to see this area is the incredible variety of coral and tropical fish. As far as I’m concerned, if the sharks were to go elsewhere, it would be perfect! (I would not dare say this in front of anyone else here!) I like to look at things underwater because of their beauty, not because I have to “keep an eye on them,” in case they begin to “act in an aggressive manner,” and “bite my ass.”
The first snorkel we did through Fakarava’s south pass we saw the sharks and they reminded me of a pack of dogs. I kept an eye on them, and they pretty much minded their own business. Rich and I did end up getting near some that were after something in the reef and getting into a bit of a feeding frenzy about it. Rich told me to stay back. He didn’t have to tell me twice. We went out and around that bit of business, then headed on, pretty much at peace with the sharks.
The next morning we went again, mostly having the pass to ourselves as we were early. This was a mixed blessing in that we had this fish and coral paradise to ourselves, but we were lacking that safety-in-numbers feeling. As we drifted along, we started to see the sharks. I noticed one behind me which soon grew into a small group behind me and they seemed “curious” about me. I decided they could be curious about what happened to me as I jumped out of the water and into the dinghy. When they were gone, I got back in the water.
Later, we went to an area off to the side of the pass called “The Swimming Pool” which was supposed to be good for new and skittish snorkelers. I don’t personally agree that it would be a good place for a skittish snorkeler in that there tended to be a shark or two in there, and now you were sharing a smaller space with it. It should be called the shark intimacy pool. I wasn’t sad to leave it and go back out to the pass. We drifted toward our boat at a good clip, which I very much enjoyed in that there was lots of fish and coral . . . and no sharks.
A week or so later, when we were in Toau, we went snorkeling near the pass. The fish and coral were once again amazing. I was pretty enthralled until I turned to see a Black Tip Reef shark, about 5 feet long, aggressively swimming at me as though it were in attack mode, or as Rich put it, charging me. I screamed, and I found that you can scream pretty loudly through a snorkel. I don’t know if I imagined it, or if the shark was actually surprised, but he darted off.
I went to the surface where Rich said urgently, “Get out of the water.” He didn’t have to tell me twice. He got out, too, and we went to another area to snorkel. It was good for me to get right back on the horse and not think too much about the shark. Later, some researches who ended up at dinner with us told me I had nothing to fear from the Black Tip sharks, that he probably thought I was spear fishing. Maybe that’s true, but I have to wonder if she would have been so blasé about it if it had charged her. Will I snorkel with those sharks again? Yes, although I will be keeping an even closer eye on them. -Cyndi
Rich: I turned to look at Cyndi just as the shark charged her. I really think it was a full-blown attack in the making. The shark had it’s pectoral fins down, it’s back arched and it was moving fast, directly at her. Her unexpected scream through the snorkel scared both me and the shark and he darted away. I guess chances are that he’d have turned away even without the scream. Who knows. We didn’t stick around to give him another chance. I’m the only one that’s allowed to bite Cyndi!
OK, so this picture has little to do with the story, but I like it. -Cyndi