Cave Diving with White Tip Reef Sharks

I never thought I'd like to be near a shark in open water. There are so many stories that have been glamorized by the press about shark attacks and quite frankly those stories made me a bit paranoid. My intent to become a scuba diver, despite my reservations about these animals, however was stronger and I willingly and curiously began my training to Scuba dive. 

Being a scuba diver, at some point you most likely will encounter some species of shark during any one of a number of dives. My first dive ever to Skull Cave, or Suck 'em Up as the locals call it, I saw my first "real" shark in the ocean and it was... sleeping. After diving a number of times since I have come to love, as Mike calls them "the Labrador retrievers of the sea." I also find myself on dives seeking them out. Our trip in April we encountered nearly ten sharks as I now find myself entranced by their size, beauty and grace as they swim swiftly by you. Like one did on the dive filmed below. This graceful white tip reef shark, as (of course) I'm looking down at my camera to switch modes from photography to video, ventured not three feet away from my face as it made it's way by my left shoulder to settle in the sandy bottom of the cave we were diving.

I'm also disturbed by the fact that so many misconceptions about their species exist and perpetuate the fear to kill and destroy them. So out of my new found admiration for the shark, here is my video of our experiences observing them.