I’ve noted before that I have a “thing” about sharks. This story from the Chicago Tribune a week ago was quite interesting. In a way I’d love to do what this author wrote about, to go diving with great white sharks, but in another sense, I’d be so terrified that I wouldn’t be able to move a muscle, let alone jump overboard into the shark cage.

The closest I’ve been to swimming with sharks was about 14 years ago during a stay in Fiji. A friend and I stayed in a bure (Fijian for “hut”) on the Coral Coast of the main island, Viti Levu. I went snorkelling every chance I could and I can still remember the experience as if it were an exotic dream. The colors, the variety, the dazzling beauty of the coral reef, are all things I will never forget. ‘Course I also remember getting the worst ever sunburn of my life Those who know me know that I never tan, only burn. Imagine me snorkelling for hours with my back and legs exposed to the tropical sun. Sharks weren’t able to get through the reef where we spent the most time, except for one place where there was a sort of break or passage in the reef and the water was much deeper there. I decided to be really brave and go snorkelling there. The water was darker and more menacing and at any minute I expected to see some huge, shadowy form loom up and scare the bejeebers out of me. I think if something had shown up I would have literally walked on water!