It also permits a guy like me who has snorkeled a lot but never taken a diving class to, well, see a nurse shark close up. The raft can get sluggish when fighting surface winds or currents, cramping a diver's style further. And so it was that I found myself slowly approaching a resting shark, as I motioned for Bill, my friend, and our guide, Jeff, to share in my find. Jeff positioned himself about a foot behind the shark and beckoned me to join him, which I did. Again, I shudder at the memory.
Sharks are girthful, and use their width to drive forward with each body gyration.
The nurse shark before us executed maybe six thrusts before disappearing into the deep blue background. It suddenly occurred to me how futile it would be to battle an animal of that strength in its own territory. Jeff claims to have the only Snuba franchise in the continental United States. He says he has taught more than 7,000 people, from age 8 to 82, to Snuba dive. The first was on a coral reef, which meandered in a maze of long arms along the sea floor, each arm varying in width and rising up to within 10 feet of the surface.