Today the water was a little warmer, but just by one degree centigrade. This was enough to feel comfortable for the full day. I didn’t shiver at the end of the day when I removed my wetsuit in the water, I took some time to relax a little and rinse my body and wetsuit.
Ty and Gonzo were pacing me on the dinghy and gave me my food during the few breaks I took.
In the middle of the day, they stopped me to retrieve a white plastic spoon. Some algae had grown on it and a small flat fish had made it its home. It was stuck to the concave area and did not fall off when I took the spoon out of the water. I took it in and out of the water several times before it slid back into the ocean. I looked under the surface to see it swim away, at the same time, I noticed two fishes swimming toward me. They were about two feet long and appeared to be yellow fin tunas. At about ten feet away, they turned around and swam in the opposite direction.
In the late afternoon, I had another visit; a grey shape appeared on my right side and glided right below me at a very slow pace. It was a shark crossing my path in the depth. I couldn’t tell what type it was or estimate its size, I didn’t have good visibility and could not approximate the depth.
I raised my right arm to signal Ty and Gonzo to stop and let them know a shark was under. I swam to the dinghy and kept looking down and around me in search of the shark. After a minute or so of not seeing anything I resumed swimming and finished my day about one hour later. Would the shark be back tomorrow?
Weather conditions:
Sunny (could coverage 2/8)
Wind speed: 12 kts
Wind direction: SW
Waves height: 1 m
Waves direction: SW
Water temperature: 27.1°C
3 thoughts on “[DAY 137] A shark sighting”-
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It would be interesting to know if a shark would even associate a swimmer in the open ocean as potential food, given what is currently scientifically known about their feeding habits. One always associates apex predators with feeding where lots of prey congregate, for example seal colonies. One wonders where the shark is heading from and to on these long swims they do across oceans… But of course, safety first, so caution is the word for humans in the water! Go on bravely, Ben and Team!
Word is out amongst fish friends that their human ally is in the neighborhood.
Il y a des jours je rêve aussi de nager dans cette immensité mais grrr …pas ces jours là!Take care of you.
J espère voir un film au cinema sur ce swim ?