Chumming the Water [Unicorns and Jellyfish]

I want to take a moment to talk about sharks: Being open about my journey, adventures, peaks &am...

I want to take a moment to talk about sharks:

Being open about my journey, adventures, peaks & valleys opens me up to so many opportunities; in contrast, it also opens me up to criticism and unsolicited advice. Since I’ve been in California, the comments surrounding the big boys has been excessive and, at times, overwhelming. I’ve had a hard time adjusting my focus because I’ve let everyone else’s opinion of the grey men get into my head and essentially chum the waters of my thoughts.

When you bring up the large ones and talk about attacks, you are subscribing to the hysteria that cinema creates. The act of pressing me on the subject shows your ignorance to the facts, thus you are supporting the negative narrative surrounding the beautiful, diverse species. These are not opinions that I want to subscribe to and so I respectfully ask that you keep your fear based opinions about the big grey dudes to yourself. I have always and will always put safety as my number one priority. I have done and continue to do research on where I swim, the oceanography, etc. My awareness of the local marine life also allows me to enjoy sharing the ocean with them. I’ve swam alongside seals, dolphins, sharks, jellyfish, turtles, stingrays, manta rays and so many more.

Ocean swimming is equally dangerous, wonderful and vastly unknown. I have made the decision to take an extra precautionary step in predatory shark deterring technologies. I will being wearing a shark deterrent anklet regularly. It is not harmful to the ocean or the marine life in any manner. This doesn’t prove that I am scared or that I think a deterrent technology will save me, it’s simply a means of extra precaution. It’s me making the personal choice to have the technology vs not have it.

I hope that in communicating my wishes on the subject and my recent decision to purchase a deterrent technology will help put your minds at ease. I welcome you to ask me about the technology, but again, please keep your shark drone videos to yourselves. I choose to have harmony with the ocean, not a fear of it.