Surrounded

This was from my first proper shark dive on the island of Roatan off the coast of Honduras. It was a strange feeling suiting up (full scuba gear) for a 70' dive roughly 3 miles out in the ocean – the concept of open ocean diving had always been terrifying to me up to this point in time, and this dive was going to tattoo that picture of fear onto the back of my eyelids so there was no escape. The boat was rudimentary (think lifeguard rowboat with a motor), the other divers seemed equally nervous, and my friend Adam had wanted to do this specifically because of how much it scared him, so he wasn't a source of calming energy.

Once we arrived at the mooring, the captain gave some instructions about what to do if we get caught in the current, then started us dropping in backwards like Navy Seals one at a time and told us to grab the rope line immediately, then use it to follow down to the bottom. I missed the line and started getting pulled by the current, so rather than fight it, I just dropped down below it and spotted the mooring line. Once I was collected, safe, and secure I was able to look around and take it all in... 100 feet of visibility and Caribbean Reef Sharks everywhere! Maybe 40 of them completely surrounding us. And strangely, it was the most calm, peaceful, and comfortable I've ever felt in the ocean. So, no more fear of open ocean for me. Well, less fear of open ocean anyway.