THE SHARK WHISPERER

This morning I was in a waiting room and did what most people do while waiting. I picked up a magazine. An article peaked my interest, or should I say made me gasp. Ocean Ramsey is a 28 year old dive instructor and not an adrenalin junky, as we might think at first, frightful glance. She cares deeply about the dwindling shark population. With only 339 great whites along the Pacific coast, it's no wonder people are up in arms.

The most disturbing fact I read is what fisherman are doing for their own profit. Besides over-fishing, they are capturing the great whites just for their fins, and then they throw them back into the ocean to die! What an egocentric, self-seeking, hideous crime against nature. How people can live with themselves, and think that their own personal, self-serving welfare is all that's important. That is the ugly side of humanity that we hear about everyday on the news.

Ramsey lives in Hawaii and for many years has been interested in marine animal species. She has a degree in marine biology and does research around the world. She shares that she never uses any equipment that could create noise or bubbles, to not scare the sharks. Hence her desire to learn to hold her breath for 6 minutes. One of her favorite night dives was off the coast of Cocos Island, near Costa Rica. "There were hundreds of sharks swarming, and they were using my light to spot their prey. It was almost like I was helping them out." My verbiage would be something like this: "It was almost like I was one of the prey." The words "swarming and hundreds of sharks", all in the same sentence, is just too much to fathom - and then with me in the middle. No, thank you! She is one brave and passionate young woman, and I am very glad we all have different passions. I would love to learn to dive, but minus the sharks. The fear would give me such anxiety I would drown immediately. I can't hold my breath for 2 minutes, let alone for 6 minutes.

Ramsey says there is no magic, she has practiced honing her skills for years. My question is when you are only 28, where do all those years come from? Don't try this at home if you live near the ocean.

To find out more about these beautiful, endangered creatures, please go to Google and search for The Shark Whisperer.

Good night and God Bless!   Aleta

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."  - Margaret Mead, anthropologist