So a few years back, I was at Daytona Beach, Florida, with a companion, mid Summer time.  Typical beach scene.  Lot’s of sunbathers, kids frolicking in the water.  As it happened, we were in the water, cooling down ourselves when suddenly my companion asked me, rather abruptly, kinda like the possibility suddenly hit her.  Are there sharks in these waters?

Now being that we were in the Atlantic Ocean, and that I am not prone to lie or mislead.  And also knowing by the tone of the question, she (my companion) was not comfortable with the realization that she already knew the answer to the question and even then was pondering a dignified exit strategy.   Soooo, I paused and carefully thought out my answer.

“Yes” I answered,  there are sharks in these waters.  “However”, I hastily added.  “You have a better chance of being killed by your toaster than a shark”.

In 2007, 791 persons were killed by faulty toasters. Only 9 by sharks (none were divers by the way).  In contrast, over a million sharks a year are killed by humans.  As I further explained, there are far more dangerous things in this world than the often misaligned shark.   Traffic, our fellow humans, to name a few.

No sooner had I arrogantly patted myself on the pack for being so clever in my explanation to calm this person’s apprehension, when a triangular fin broke the surface about 100 feet away in deeper water, angling in towards us.  This is a true story by the way!  LOL.

My companion took one look, screamed “SHARK” and bolted out of the water!  Along with a few others nearby whom she had startled into action.  I stood there frozen, dumfounded and open mouthed.  Later, when I asked how she had abandoned me so easily, to the clutches of this perceived menace of the sea?  She responded that she figured I could take care of myself.   Snort!  Great!

Anyhow, it was a Dolphin fin, not a shark fin.  I am still laughing, many years later.  The point I wish to make is this.  We have this hysteria about sharks.  Sharks certainly need to be respected, and there are a few species I’d rather be behind the glass of an aquarium then in the water with (very few).  However, they are very important to our planets oceans health, and they are amazing animals that we are only now scratching the surface in research as to how they live.  They are not evil.

But your Toaster is evil!  So, my message is to all of you.  Go home, grab your toaster, and lock it up in the closet.  Don’t let it out for any reason.  Even if you want toast!

And that’s all I got to say about that.

Dive smart, dive safe!