These fins that were once a common sight at sea, have become a rarity. Admittedly, although I am a seasoned diver with plenty of experience with sharks, I was feeling a bit apprehensive about rolling into the water in the midst of a pack of ‘sea dogs’. Given the nickname for their habit of closely following ships in hopes of scoring discarded scraps to eat, the Oceanic whitetip shark was ranked one of the most dangerous shark species by Jacques Cousteau himself.

I was now preparing to spend some focused time up-close with these sharks of notoriety, and it was an experience that I had long sought after. The species is closer than ever to extinction due to various pressures, including the demand for their fins and ending up as bycatch in commercial fishing vessels.

I was drawn to these sharks not only by their mystique, but also their unique form and reputation for intelligence. As me and a fellow diver were preparing to roll in, one of the other divers on the boat, Mary, turns and asks: “Are we crazy for doing this?” “Maybe?” I responded jokingly. We backrolled into the water.

As I hit the water, I immediately met an Oceanic face to face. The question I asked Mary was replaced with adrenaline and the intensity of the moment. The Oceanic whitetip sharks, unlike any other species I had been in the water with, were not shy by any means. We were being closely circled and even brushed against. It became clear that we were now in their domain. Sinking deeper into the blue, the mood softened and the space expanded. Feelings of apprehension gave way to the weightlessness of floating through the bright blue waters that shimmered with radial rays of light.

In and out of the blue, Oceanics began moving around us, their bodies gracefully drawing s-shaped curves as they passed above and below. The experience embodied a complex mix of emotions – surprise, curiosity, reverence, and a heightened state of awareness.