| There are few situations that occur in one's life when | | | | the last moment. After the shark's third blitz, I turned |
| a nightmare suddenly turns into reality; a shark attack | | | | back towards the sailboat, hoping that would calm his |
| can definitely be included in the list. First, I want to | | | | agitation; It worked. We swam parallel for |
| point out that I grew up during the summers and | | | | approximately ten minutes before he turned away |
| winter school breaks in the U.S. Virgin Islands where I | | | | from me and disappeared into the ocean blue. |
| spent most of my time in the Caribbean waters and | | | | So, what do you do when you are suddenly faced |
| never had any problems with the sharks I | | | | with an aggressive shark? First, you need to |
| encountered. I have nearly a thousand SCUBA dives | | | | remember that it is initially observing you to see if |
| and freedives; a lot of them in remote waters away | | | | you might be injured or could possibly be an easy |
| from the packed tourist sites where most groups | | | | target. Sharks are ambush predators and seek out |
| frequent. | | | | moments of opportunity to strike. One way to |
| The situation occurred in New Found Bay, St. John, | | | | counter its hunting instincts, is to get off the surface |
| when I was out looking for lobsters. I was about a | | | | of the water; swim fluidly up and down to show that |
| fifteen minute swim from the sailboat, when I first | | | | you are not injured. Another way of protecting |
| saw the eight foot lemon shark quickly bearing down | | | | yourself, if you have SCUBA gear on, is to sit back |
| on me from behind. It was approaching in two feet | | | | so your tank is below you and kick away from the |
| of water, so my first option to get back towards | | | | area. Yet another way to defend against an attack, |
| land had been quashed by the skillful ambush. The | | | | is to loosen your BC and slide the entire vest over |
| shark glided past me with such effortlessness and | | | | one's arm, with the tank facing out (still keeping the |
| speed that, I must admit, even with the shock of | | | | regulator in your mouth of course), and using the |
| seeing the predator, I observed it with awe and | | | | entire equipment as a shield between you and the |
| respect. Suddenly, it turned towards me and rushed | | | | predator. Remember to always keep your eyes on |
| at me in three successive attacks. Luckily, I was | | | | the shark. Unlike dogs, that may feel threatened |
| holding a two foot long piece of steel with a cord | | | | when stared at and become even more aggressive, |
| looped through it to catch any lobster I might have | | | | sharks respect a target that has all its attention |
| come across. I used the rod to poke aggressively at | | | | facing in its direction. |
| the shark and succeeded in thwarting its attack at | | | | |