SCUBA diving with wild sharks is something most people would consider too dangerous or scary to do, however most species of sharks are harmless and can be thrilling to see in person.
I had an opportunity to dive with wild Caribbean Reef Sharks, who most of the time are harmless to humans. The dive took place in Roatan, Honduras, two miles offshore of the island. I had to boat out on a tiny fishing boat with 13 other divers, creating a very packed environment that made it a struggle to equip gear.
Once we reached the location, we were required to back-roll into the water since the boat had no real ease of access to the ocean. Once you were in the water, it was a 70-foot descent to the ocean bed, which sat directly near a cliff that dropped to thousands of feet below. Descending down the line, you could see sharks circling below you, which added a sense of unease.
Once we reached the bottom, there were between 15 and 20 sharks circling our area looking for food. We sat on the floor in front of a reef wall making it difficult for sharks to attack behind us. After about 15 minutes of sitting and watching sharks go by us, the divers in charge of the experience opened a bucket full of fish chum and let the sharks eat from it.
It was incredible to see a swarm of 20 sharks instantly surround the bucket and fight each other for the food. Some sharks would find an entire fish and swim away into the distance to eat it alone. After the food was gone, the sharks swam away and only a couple remained around the area, giving us a chance to swim around and look for shark teeth. Since sharks lose their teeth when they eat, you have a very good chance at finding many on these dives. I was not successful in finding any, however other divers in my group found a couple.
I do not have another dive trip planned during the rest of the school year, I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given to share my experience with others. I hope to find ways to continue sharing my photos with people after high school.
