Family Traveler

27WHILEFELLOWDIVERSSWOONEDOVERTROPICALFISH,ISCANNEDTHEBIGBLUEFORTHATTELLTALESWAGGERPOINTOFVIEWSharksarefrequentlycastasrazor-tootheddemonsofthedeep.Butwho’sreallygettingbitten?MARIELLA FROSTRUPSharksoftengetabadpress,butwhenIwasinmyearlyteensandStevenSpielberg’sJawscameout,theywerecatapulted,almostovernight,tothepositionofmostfearedfishontheplanet.Noonewasimmunetothehysteriaofsharkphobia;sharkrepellentbecameanovernightbestseller,killinggreatwhitesanacceptablehumanitarianresponse,andgazingintothebluedepthswhileconjuringupaseriesofimplausibleexcusesfornotgettinginthewatercommonplace.Afteroneheat-scorchedGreekvacation,whereIraisedthecouragejustoncetodipspeedilyintothecoolAegean,IacceptedIneededto,quiteliterally,confrontmyfears.So,overChristmasintheCaribbean,IdidaPADIcourseand,aweeklater,onmyfirstnightdive, 40 feetdowninpitchdarkness,Isawmyfirstshark.Itwasawhitetip,cruisingawayfrommytorchbeamwithaflickofitsmenacingfin.YoumightthinkI’dhavespedtothesurface,butinstead,transfixedbythewayiteffortlesslypoweredthroughitsnaturalhabitat,Iswamafterit.ThatmarkedthebeginningofmyloveaffairwiththeunderworldAdonisthatistheshark.Sincethatfirstsighting,nodivegavemesatisfactionwithoutafreshencounter.Whilefellowdiversswoonedovertropicalfishandadmiredtheminutiaeof``````thereef,Iscannedthebigblueforthattelltaleswagger.Iflewhalfwayacrosstheworldandbackpursuingmypassion,fromCostaRicatoCapeTown,BelizetoBequia.Imetbullsharksandtigersharks,hammerheadsandwhitetips,blacktipsandlemonsharks,alldistinguishedbytheirutterlackofinterestinyourstruly.Somuchforbeingmanhunters;theybarelyacknowledgedweexisted.Mypassionremainedunrequited,butnothingspursonawomanmorethantheirprize’sindifference.Stalkingadventuresgrewincreasinglyextreme:nocurrentwastoostrong,noinhabitantstooscary,todenymemyquarry.Then,oneday,offthesupposedlyprotectednationalparkofCocosIsland, 300 milesoffCostaRica,Isawaheartbreakingsight.Asmallfishingboat,criss-crossedbywashinglinesonwhichweredryinggreytrianglesofwhatatfirstappearedtobethickcloth.Acloserlookrevealedthemassharkfins,hundreds``````ofthem,onthisonetinyboat.They’dbeenhackedofflivingfishthatwerethendroppedbackintothewatertodieanagonisingdeath–allsoChinesefoodloverscouldenjoytheirfavoureddelicacyofshark-finsoup.It’sanongoingglobalfishingpracticethathaspulverisedthesharkpopulationtotheextentthatanumberofspeciesarenowinrealdangerofextinction.Forme,heroworshipturnedtopityinaninstantthatday,andIdecidedtoplaymysmallpartinsavingthem,signingupasacampaignerforTheSharkTrust.It’saphilanthropicmissionasunpopularasgenderequality,andfarlessaudience-engagingthandonkeysanctuaries.YetsmallorganisationslikeTheSharkTrustdoamazingwork,cultivatingsupportforoneofthemostancientandextraordinarycreaturesstillswimmingourseas.IfthisOceansSpecialissueofFamilyTravellerhasinspiredyoutoengagefurther,nooneneedsyourhelpmorethanthemesmerisingshark.Logontosharktrust.organdsurprisethekidsbyadoptingtheirown‘shiverofsharks’,surelythemostaptcollectivenounintheEnglishlanguage!nCheckout 10 morefascinatingsharkfactsatfamilytraveller.com/sharkfactsToreadmoreofMariella’scolumns,visitfamilytraveller.com/authorsPHO MariellapresentsOpenBookonRadio^4TOGRAPHS:JASONMcCUE