Occurred on October 11, 2016 / Ascension Island, Saint Helena
Info from Licensor: "Ascension Island was my first dive trip and it was spectacular. You are sharing space with a huge populous of marine life including world record marlin, tuna, mahi mahi, wahoo, trigger fish and of course Galapagos sharks. I had never seen a shark before, let alone swam with one. When I slid into the deep blue water the first day and immediately came face to face with a ten-foot shark I was scared. It’s natural to feel afraid of a predator, especially when you are in their territory. Over time as I became more comfortable and accustomed to their presence, I was able to fully appreciate their grace and agility, as well as their intelligence. We got to know their behaviors and their moods, as well as the importance of showing them who is boss. That is what is necessary for the safety of the group. When it was time to go in for the day we would drop everyone off at the dock and then Max would tie the boat off and take a kayak tied next to the boat to shore. Every shark that had followed our boat back would follow him all the way to the beach. I was standing on the ledge above him while this was happening and it was nerve racking to see him completely surrounded while on a small boat with nothing to defend him but a plastic paddle."