Eye of the Tiger

• Lori Palminteri
• Uncategorized
• December 11, 2024

“Who here would like to see a tiger shark?” The woman with a wetsuit half on, holding a clipboard full of information asks. I look around the boat at the nine other adventurers. It’s mostly couples, one family, I’m the only solo person on this boat.

Slowly, I half raise my hand.

“Well, we don’t usually see the tiger sharks, but sometimes they come around.”

“I’m petrified of seeing a tiger shark while surfing, but under the surface, I’d like to see one,” I say.

Initially, I had booked a shark cage dive the first week I was in Hawaii. This was because due to my Uncle’s health, I thought I was going to come home early and potentially miss out on going to the Big Island all together where I had booked and planned to be with the manta rays. I went out on the boat to cage dive, but the seas were rough that day, and the captain turned back and we didn’t do the dive (we got a full refund).

Of course, I did end up going to Big Island and spent two glorious nights with the mantas. Unfortunately, my uncle didn’t make it while I was on Big Island, but my family insisted I stay course on my adventure. So when I returned to Oahu, I had  my eye on diving with sharks again. You only live once, right? And hopefully your life isn’t ended by a shark, which would be a pretty bad way to go.

Sharks, though, almost never attack divers. Scientists believe it’s because, first, we’re not really on their menu, and second, they are apex predators and know when they are being watched. If you’re in the water looking that them, they are most likely going to pass you by. Sharks attack surfers because when you’re on a board, from below, you look like a turtle or a seal. My Hawaii connect is an avid diver, and so, many of his friends who I’ve adopted as my friends, are also divers.

Divers poo poo the shark cage experience. They actually say it’s more dangerous because of the rocking of the boat and the cage, you’re far more likely to get hurt from the cage rocking than a shark doing anything to you at all. Scuba Lloyd, a ex-military Texan, took me to an exclusive cocktail bar one evening and over drinks I was convinced. The Leather Apron was the name of the bar. It’s deliciously smokey and intimate. The cocktails are an art form there. Every time Scuba Lloyd took a sip of a new drink, his eyes would go wide and he’d say, “kiss my ass!” He’s a character.

“Don’t be a pussy, Lori, free dive with the sharks. Don’t go in a cage.” In actuality, Lloyd is an old school gentleman and didn’t say ‘don’t be a pussy’ but that’s what it translated to in my head. And that was basically all I needed to hear. The logic was sound. I’d known plenty of divers who literally play with sharks, never returning with bites. Top it off with a little dare, and I’m in. So I re-booked the shark dive, cage free, this time.

Now, I’m back on the shark boat first thing in the morning on the north shore. It’s a glorious day. The captain of the boat is optimistic about conditions. There are two women who are the shark experts that will be in the water with us. One of them takes a liking to me, probably because I’m there alone. We chat about our mutual love for all things the sea before getting to our destination.

The sound of the engine draws the sharks to the surface. Curious creatures, they are. Already, on the boat, you can see the sharks circling the vessel. The crew asks who wants to jump in first. There are no takers, so I volunteer. I put on my mask and fins and jump in. Just like that.

For this type of experience, there’s a rope on the side of the boat you hang on to as the sharks come around. The two women free divers (equipped with GoPro cameras) will signal people individually to swim from the boat and free dive closer to the sharks. On board, I told the girls I wanted to free dive as much as possible. Well, I got my wish. Anytime they pointed to me, I swam at their command. At least a dozen sand bar and Galapagos sharks circled below us. It was so cool, if not surreal. Then, the beautiful beast showed up. An at least eight foot tiger shark comes to check out the scene.

I’m called by the diving instructor. The shark is heading right towards us. I mean, this is literally a surfers nightmare. Tiger sharks are named that because of the markings on their skin somewhat resemble a tiger. Their noses or more square than other sharks. She is swimming right for us. I’m holding hands with the diving instructor, and I squeeze hers to let her know I’m a little afraid. She squeezes back, a notion that she’s got me. She’s not afraid. The tiger shark swims right up to us then turns. The instructor lets go of my hand and signals me to swim after the beast, and I dive down after her. I’m no longer afraid.

The shark keeps her distance and circles around. An introvert, she leaves the scene. The other dozen sharks remain. What a lucky day. Fortune favors me in the ocean, I must say, when it comes to these magical encounters. My mom thinks I’ve some sort of spiritual connection to sea life, as I’m consistently graced with visitors from the sea more than anyone she’s ever known. When surfing, you consider yourself lucky to see no sharks. I was happy to see them in this other way. An oceanic dream.

Truly, sharks aren’t really a great threat to humans. And shark attacks are minimal in the grand scheme of things if you look at it with a neutral lens. Yes, they are always in the ocean and they can kill you very easily. But humans are much scarier than sharks, in reality. These creatures are just the king and queens of fish. An essential part of the Eco system. Granted, I love dolphins and whales and turtles far more than I love sharks. But I love sharks too, and more importantly, I respect them and understand their importance in the balance of this world. That’s what you see when you make eye contact with a tiger shark underwater. Balance. The ying and yang to it all.