Mike Mongo & 5-ft Black Tip Shark

Andy Hatch spotted it, and at first the boys who I was with figured this to be a nurse shark: It turns out to be a solid five-foot black tip! We are in water that is no more than seven feet deep (at the edge of Sand Key lighthouse, on the pier side), and this one is going in between the boys and Andy's mom Suanne! I know they are one of the most dangerous sharks in the world, as well as "dine-and-dash"-type sharks, coming in, BITING and disappearing, but this was AWESOME! Genuinely exciting. Plus, the boat is a hundred yards away, so that was that.

Since we were out on the water for the spectacle of the sinking of the USS Vandenberg, I had my underwater Bonica camcorder, and was I lucky! Swimming alongside this shark was work as I wore no fins. Fortunately, young Joey had just handed me his mask, and I was able to see this shark SEE me. When it saw I was following it, it just turned around without hestitation, and PUT THE EYE ON ME. I swear, it was only five feet long but the chill that went up my spine was worth the entire day. And I was thinking, "This is exactly how I SHOULDN'T feel around this one." I mean, here I was getting all turned on, sending out the electric signals which to the shark say one thing: "Dinner!"

Anyhow, I'm due a bite after all the fish I've eaten. I know the score. Anyhow, let me tell you, this was one of the best days of my life. I'm glad Suanne, Andy, Garret, Blue, Joey, and "Bob Saget" (aka Michael) were there to be a part of it.

...the swim from there to get back to the boat included!

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• shark
• key west
• florida keys
• mike mongo
• danger charters
• snorkeling
• vandenberg
• andy hatch

[bfsnaps]

I think I know how you felt: I saw "Jaws"