The Land Down Under

It is a strange phenomenon that we can be deathly afraid, yet at the same time be completely obsessed by the very thing that sends us into panic at the mere thought of it.

Dawsyn and I have always loved animals, any kind, and every kind. We also love to travel. To us the most interesting places have the most dangerous animals. We often sit in front of the T.V. with our bag of Salt and Vinegar chips and a cold root beer in hand, looking for shows that demonstrate the power behind some of earth's most deadly creatures. Shows like The Top 10 Most Dangerous Animals in Australia, Indonesia, or anywhere else for that matter. Our fascination tended towards the deadly.

We had been to many places and been fairly close to many animals in the wild. Lions and rhinos in Africa, gone into the jungle of Costa Rica and off to grizzly bear adventures in Alaska. Nothing however, prepared me for the excursion Dawsyn surprised me with when he came home from work one evening!

"Hey Pam," he said. "Get ready to pack our suitcases, Boy, do I have a surprise for you!"

"What are you up to now?" I responded.

"Here, open this envelope," and he handed me an 8 X 10 envelope."

"Australia - Oh my Gosh! How did you?"

"I've been planning this for a while, you know me. I always have some adventure up my sleeve."

Now, my readers, I am a person who loves that adrenaline rush! I would, however, walk along the beaches of Southern California afraid to put my big toe in the water. Why would an adrenaline junkie like me be afraid of the water you ask? One word - Sharks!

California has an area reaching from Northern California to Southern California known as the shark triangle. Ever since I was little I had an insane fear of these predators of the sea. After all, we have for decades been taught that they are a creature to be feared. The white jaws of death itself. Movies like Jaws have only solidified that judgement and further exasperated my personal fear of them. It flashed through my mind like a lightning bolt. "Oh my gosh - Australia is known for its large populous of sharks. Especially the Blue Water White Death shark - "The Great White"

"Oh, Hon you better go get your diving certificate. I forgot to mention I contacted Project Awareness Foundation in Australia," Dawsyn hollered out from the bedroom.

"What is Project Awareness?" I replied.

" Oh, it is a program to bring enlightenment about our oceans and particularly sharks. They even dive and study the sharks and ocean environment from the sea creatures’ point of view."

"Uh, Dawsyn, you know I am terrified of sharks."

"Oh, come on Pam, it is really about time you got over this unfounded fear that you have been harboring for years! Sharks are an important part of our ecosystem and serve to keep our oceans clean. We would not survive without sharks since they are vital to the health of our ocean environments. Besides you have more chance of a car accident than you do a shark attack!

"Ya, it is just so gruesome though if they do."

"Well babe, wouldn't you like to learn the truth about sharks instead of being shrouded in a veil of fear?"

"I know you are right, technically, and I love you so I will go get my certification, at least I'd have it. I can't promise to go in the water though. I might just observe from the boat."

"Well, you sure will get a chance to do that. I already told them we would go out with them to do Project Tag when they tag them for tracking purposes."

"Gee Dawsyn, I sure wish you would have asked me about this first."

"No, honey I knew if I told you that you would say No, and it is a chance of a lifetime. I don't want to miss it and I don't want you to miss it either."

Off I went to diving class not really thrilled with the idea. For the next five days I learned all the appropriate skills, finding the experience rather joyful and meditative. To my own shock I passed the diving certification test with flying colors. Over the next four weeks I found myself devouring anything to do with diving and sharks. The more I read the more my terror morphed into trepidation. After all, I am a fan of Ocean Ramsey who has free dived with over 47 different kinds of sharks, including Great Whites. We have a picture hanging in our living room of her with a Great White. You see, I did not mind looking at them as long as they were on my wall.

A month and a half passed by and Dawsyn and I were at LAX boarding an international flight to Adelaide, Australia via Sydney. Dawsyn was beside himself. He had always wanted to go to Australia which had a reputation for some of the most dangerous animals on earth. Once we arrive in Sydney we still had a seven hour drive to go to Neptune Island (off the coast of Port Lincoln) near Adelaide. On the plane they played the movie Megalodon which did not serve to me as a comfort in my mission to overcome my galeophobia. I was feeling quite nervous now.

Twenty hours later we arrived in Sydney exhausted, so we stayed in a hotel for the night before driving to Adelaide and onto Neptune Island. I was dying for a soda and went into the gift shop. I spotted Ocean Ramsey's book “What You Should Know About Sharks”. One's knowledge can never be too great, and this would give me some light reading, (Ha, Ha) on the way to Neptune Island. The next day we were off, Dawsyn teasing me all the way with shark jokes. I am not sure I found them very funny at that moment.

Neptune Island is known for spotting of Great White Sharks. In most states of Australia sea lions are endangered and are protected. The vast resources of pinnipeds make this The Cafe Ritz for Great Whites migrating through this area. We boarded the boat with the crew. Dawsyn further delighted in the fact that this would be a private excursion with the two of us as the only volunteers for two days of tagging. We would eat, drink, and sleep on the boat. In recent years over one hundred Great White sharks have been tagged in the Neptune Islands alone.

Once out on open water I started searching for dorsal fins. "Over there, shouted Dawsyn, as most of us moved to the starboard side of the boat where Dawsyn was standing pointing excitedly. We threw out some chum. In moments I was going to be up close and personal to not just one, but possibly several Apex Predators. A huge dorsal fin was quickly approaching the boat and the crew went into action. In all this commotion I had forgotten to be afraid, instead I was giving way to the fascination of the event.

At the completion of the tagging, I was thrown another unexpected opportunity when the crew asked us if we would want to down in the shark cage.

Dawsyn quickly responded, " Oh, heck ya that would be epic!"

"What do you think Pam? Do you want to give it a go?"

"You betcha." I found myself responding not even realizing what was coming out of my mouth. I would now get the opportunity to use some of the diving skills I had just learned.

The next day geared up we entered the cage. I could not believe I was doing this. I was going to be face to face with a Great White. Down we went. My heart was pounding, but I remembered Ocean Ramsey said that they were very sensitive to vibrations and calmed myself. The sight of these massive powerful creatures was indescribable. They smoothly glided by slowing down as they approached close to the cage. One of them came so close Dawsyn could almost touch it. It was like nothing ever in my life. I could look into the sharks eye and know that we were connected somehow. I could feel the uniqueness of every creature and that we truly are one. I lost my fear that day but not my respect of these great animals. I am aware that this is their domain and not ours. I just see the awesomeness of it all!

Senegalese environmentalist Bob Dioum once said:

IN THE END PEOPLE WILL ONLY PROTECT WHAT THEY LOVE AND ONLY LOVE WHAT THEY UNDERSTAND

I understand now, and next Dawsyn and I will be off to Hawaii to free dive with Ocean Ramsey.