Water Planet: Swimming with the Big Boys

As I packed my bags for a trip to the Bahamas, I knew I could leave my macro setup at home as it would be useless for this itinerary — WE WERE GOING FOR THE BIG STUFF!

Jumping in for the first shark dive, my heart was beating with both anticipation and anxiety. Would I remember everything they told us? What if something went wrong? I made my descent as calmly as I could, knowing this would be an awesome experience.

Now, the funny part of my first shark dive was discovering that “big” has stages: the Caribbean reef sharks are big, the lemon sharks are bigger, and the world-famous tiger shark known as Emma dwarfs them both. She must be the world’s most celebrated tiger shark — kind of the supermodel of the shark world — she even has her own Facebook page! Seeing all of them in the water together is like being on the highway and watching a Volkswagen Beetle alongside a Hummer alongside a semi-truck.

Along the way, I also met Max, a goliath grouper known to frequent the area. He was very friendly and looked like he was having as much fun as we were. With so many divers in the water, I separated myself at one point and found that Max had followed me. I had a couple of minutes of bonding time with him before the sharks noticed and, thinking Max must be getting food from this isolated diver, came over to ensure they weren’t missing out.

Personally, the highlight of the trip (as if diving with sharks wasn’t enough!) was the opportunity to photograph my favorite animal: dolphins! I can’t explain the anticipation of being just a few feet underwater with camera ready waiting for this mixed pod of bottlenose and Atlantic spotted dolphins to break the surface and join me. Listening to their whistling and clicking while they swam and played made me feel that they were as excited about this experience as I was!

Being with all of these creatures in their own environment gave me a deeper understanding of them and the plights they face, from cruel shark finning to pollution to commercial fishing. I was lucky enough to learn firsthand they are definitely beauties, not beasts.

_Craig Dietrich is the photo pro for Pompano Dive Center in Pompano Beach, Florida. To see more of Craig's work, visit his website Dietrich Underwater. _