Swimming with a Hammerhead Shark

8 foot Hammerhead Shark encounter

  Any time I get to swim and photograph sharks I get pretty excited. I have traveled around the world just to have shark encounters, like shark cage diving with great whites in Africa, to shark feeding frenzies in Fiji, thresher sharks in the Philippines, and even a wild shark dive off the east coast of Florida. You can follow the links to see photos from all of those dives. But I get really excited when I just happen upon a shark which is exactly what occurred yesterday off the lava rock coastline of south Kona.

   We had just wrapped up a wonderful snorkel in Kealakekua Bay, near Captain Cook on the Big Island. As we motored our zodiac around the corner we were about to pick up speed when we spotted a large pale grey shadow just under the surface. It was big so I immediately knew it was something special...maybe a manta ray or even a small whale shark. I quickly grabbed my fins and mask, slid off the boat into the water, and swam towards the pale grey shadow...not knowing for sure what it would be.

  At first I could only see that it was a big shark. Then as I swam nearer the shark turned its head away from me and I could instantly see it was a big scalloped hammerhead shark. It kept its distance and swam a little deeper. Then, as if it knew what I was thinking, it circled back towards me, giving me one chance to dive down near it before it swam off the ledge into the deep blue. It was a magical encounter with such a big, powerful, and graceful animal. One that I will not forget.