I am devastated by news of the recent tragedy on the M/V Shear Water in the Bahamas, and my heart goes out to the family of Markus Groh the diver who was bitten by a bull shark.  I am incredibly saddened by this unfortunate loss that hits very close to home and extend my sincere condolences to his loved ones.  

I recently spent a week with Jim Abernethy on his boat, the Shear Water, diving with the sharks of the Bahamas. I had the opportunity to experience what it was like to dive with Abernethy's highly-professional operation and with large, predatory sharks firsthand. I was joined by fellow shark conservationist friends, Rob Stewart, Director of Sharkwater, Kim McCoy, Executive Director of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Alison Kock, Marine Biologist with Save Our Seas Foundation, and Shawn Heinrichs of Blue Sphere media.as part of a conservation project, Shark Angels.  The goal?  To shift the public's thinking about sharks and raise awareness of their desperate struggle to overcome extinction.

We spent four days filming, surrounded by a dozen of large tiger sharks and over 50 lemon sharks outside of any cages.  Although inches away, not once did we feel threatened or at risk.  Instead, we were filled with appreciation, wonder, and a deep sense of sadness, as sharks are being chased to the brink of extinction.

We also developed strong respect and affection for Jim Abernethy. During his 35 years of diving with sharks, Abernethy has maintained a spotless safety record until this point, bringing tens of thousands of divers into the water to safely experience shark interactions. Jim is a responsible, safe dive operator who has spent more time in the water than anyone with the large sharks of the Bahamas. He delights in safely sharing his passion and respect for these sharks with others.

A scuba diver for 14 years, I have logged hundreds of dives and has spent countless hours underwater with sharks. Jim is singularly the most responsible dive operator and passionately committed shark conservationist I have ever met. Those of us who have spent time in the water with Jim and the sharks of the Bahamas know how shocking and isolated this tragedy truly is. While there is inherent risk in all that we do, the risk of injury - let alone death - while diving with sharks is incredibly low. Last year, only one person died from a shark bite… worldwide. And this incident, though tragic, is the first reported death from a shark bite on record during an organized shark dive. In comparison, many common leisure activities such as biking, swimming, and boating are statistically far more dangerous than diving with sharks.

In my own personal experiences diving with sharks, both with and without bait in the water, the sharks have gone out of their way to avoid contact with humans.  Sharks clearly do not see people as prey, and even with bait in the water, I have never seen a shark exhibit aggressive behavior towards divers. 

As a responsible shark diver, I do realize these are wild animals and that there is some risk involved when stepping into their habitat. With proper safety protocols, diving experience, and guidance from reputable dive operations, the risk is small when compared to the reward of an up-close encounter with one of the great co-inhabitants of our earth. But it is--and should be--up to each individual to decide what level of risk is personally acceptable to them.

And, I believe the reward far outweighs the infinitesimal risk posed by diving with sharks. Diving with sharks enables people to develop a healthy respect and even compassion for a seriously misunderstood animal that is critical to the health of our oceans.

Sadly, the Bahamas represent one of only a few places remaining where people can still go to experience the magnificence of the large charismatic sharks, including tigers, bulls, and hammerheads.  A growing number of shark species are approaching extinction, with over 100 million sharks killed by humans each year. As we continue to deplete populations and chase sharks to the brink of extinction, it is more important than ever to get people into the water safely and responsibly to experience and gain an appreciation for their true character. 

People tend to protect the things we understand, and sharks are largely out of sight, out of mind for us.  Allowing people to get into the water with sharks and come face to face with these magnificent animals is one of the most powerful conservation tools we have to protect them.

The public’s irrational fear of sharks (entirely based upon myths and misconceptions), I think, explains our lack of desire to conserve them. I hope that Jim and the Shear Water team can continue to change all that. I urge everyone to go diving with Jim. Anyone can dive with sharks. I am certain once you dive with them, it will shift your thinking – and you will want to save them too. But go quickly, because sadly, they are almost gone from this planet and soon, no one will be able to experience their magnificence.

It is crucial for those of us who have a passion for sharks and for diving to support Jim and other responsible dive operators - and control the media-generated hype aimed at striking fear and doubt into the minds of the public. Allowing this frenzy will only result in more unnecessary shark deaths and a general apathy about what is occurring. At a time when sharks are being chased to extinction

I can still close my eyes and delight in the images I will never forget. I am forever changed and will never forget the precious gift Jim gave me.