1. What was your relationship with sharks before the retreat?
My fear of sharks was incredibly high. If I were to rate my fear it was at a 9/10 fear of sharks. I was fearful of sharks when swimming in the ocean. I would also occasionally have nightmares about sharks following viewing visual footage of sharks.
2. How did you experience sharks as you swam with them up close and personal?
My experience was a calm and captivating moment. The sheer size of the 3metre shark that swam toward and past me at arms reach distance as I waited in the channel of the reef with Shannon and Amelie was an experience I will never forget. The sharks presence exuded majesty, power and inspired reverence.
3. How do you see sharks now?
I have an appreciation of sharks now, a greater understanding of this critically endangered species.
I don't have the same fear that I had previously. My swim with the grey nurse sharks was a very powerful experience in shifting how I view sharks. It will certainly assist me in exploring the ocean with greater ease and less fear.
4. What has the experience taught you about yourself, sharks and fear?
The experience taught me how strong and resilient I am in the face of my fears.
Through my journey of facing my fears around sharks I reflected on my experience. Behind my fear of sharks was a lack of understanding about different shark species, their behaviours and the environmental threats that have placed the grey nurse shark species in a critically endangered zone.
Developing my understanding of sharks enabled me to test out my fears and get in the water for my scuba dive. Through having the opportunity of swimming with these incredible shark species my perception of sharks was transformed.
Thank you Shannon for this incredible opportunity!
