private int[] getSurroundings(int xCoord, int yCoord) {
	  int[] surroundings = new int[3];
	  
	  //System.out.println("origin = " + xCoord + ", " + yCoord);
	  
	  for(int y = yCoord - 1; y <= yCoord + 1; y++) {
		  for(int x = xCoord - 1; x <= xCoord + 1; x++) {
			  
			  if(!((validateX(x) == xCoord) && (validateY(y) == yCoord))){
				  //System.out.println("\tchecking: " + validateX(x) + ", " + validateY(y));
				  if(cellContents(validateX(x), validateY(y)) == FISH) {
					 // System.out.println("\t\tfish found");
					  
					  surroundings[FISH]++;
				  }
				  else if(cellContents(validateX(x), validateY(y)) == SHARK) {
					 // System.out.println("\t\tshark found");
					  surroundings[SHARK]++;
				  }
			  }
		  }
	  }
	  
	  return surroundings;
  }