11/30/12
I saw a school of hammerheads!
David and I decided to try the snorkeling near our hotel today- no hiking or bus rides- just a short walk across 3 small crescents of white sandy beach to a place where the giant granite formations protruding from the earth demand you get wet if you want to continue. Of course, around this "corner" is exactly where I wanted to go. I had glimpsed an idyllic sandy beach hidden back there during our earlier snorkel (with hundreds of comb jellies and a stingray) and I wanted to swim/snorkel to it. The tide became too low to float out and there was too much potential to damage coral by walking in the shallows around the rocks so we retreated to the previous cove and swam out along a murky sand channel...
Keep in mind that two days ago (after a 45 minute climb up and down a mountain) we were just starting to enjoy our snorkel at beautiful Anse Lazio, when a boat with two local dudes motors over to tell us we were out too far and that it wasn't safe due to sharks with babies- there had been a fatal shark attack.
Not even 5 minutes into our swim, as the sand channel ended and I cut right to swim parallel to shore (David is behind and to the inside), I look out to the ocean on my left and see, about 10 feet away, an orderly group of what I know in an instant are shark tails passing me by. The next instant was spent simultaneously trying to focus on the funny shaped heads wagging back and forth and registering the "HOLY F***" alarm sounding in my head. I stood up on the closest rock and calmly said "honey, come here" followed by "I just saw a school of hammerheads". I didn't hear any response, I just followed as David quickly swam back to shore.
Back on land I immediately began doubting what I saw and kicking myself for not taking a picture as evidence. David hadn't seen anything. I'm positive there were at least 8 sharks but my initial estimate was 20. They were each about 4 feet long in a formation of 3 or 4 across and deep and long... that would be at least 27.
How awesome would it be if I actually knew for sure what I saw??? I don't know much about hammerheads but I think they like deeper waters. I have a very clear picture in my head of what the tails looked like... I plan to compare it with google images once we get to wifi. The dive shop owner said it would be very rare to see a hammerhead. A hammerhead. One. Then again, very little is known about shark behavior in general. Right? I've decided that I'm going to allow myself to be stoked that I was fortunate enough to witness something very special and exciting.
I do wish I had chosen foto over flight, though. : )
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| slice of paradise |
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| stingray |
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| sandy patch from above |
