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Ana Ries
Ms.Pricola
Period 5
9-6-06

Into The Water


Cold. So cold. Slowly I swam farther out. Like thousands of cold needles stabbing into my skin. I took a deep breath and dove. down into the freezing waters of La Jolla Shore. I headed down. Down. Down. Down into the murky water. Numb. Numb from the cold, with stiff movements i made my way thro the water, searching for movements. There, to my side, I felt the water current that told of movement under me. I looked around for the creature that made the current, nothing. I went up for air and looked around the water under me, looking for any movement. There, i saw it again. I took a deep breath thro the snorkel tube and dove. I saw the out line of a creature. I saw twords it, hoping to catch up. As i dove down and followed the creature I started to notice other movements around me, as i followed the creature I came to clear water, farther away from the murky shore water. As I looked around me I saw the creature that I was following. As i came closer I noticed that it was a Leapord shark, one of the most common sharks of the area. As I looked around I saw more sharks, mostly Leapords, but some Blue, Shortfin Mako, and Horn sharks around me. So many of them! Complely surounded. As I floated there and watched after a while, they became more use to me and swam in closer. The larger of the Leapord sharks, the one I had followed in, came right by me. Spots, as I called her, swam in circles around me. As I watched her smooth, graceful movements I reached out to try and touch her skin she darted away, so I followed and reached out, she darted just out of reach again. Swim. Reach. Dart.Swim. Reach. Dart. It was a game now.....Swim. Reach. Dart. Altho after a while I soon learned that I would never touch her, she was too fast. Soon the other sharks skatered as a Thresher came into veiw. Spot stayed with me as i stared to swim away Altho i did enjoy her compony. She acompaned me thro the waters, either right by me or just in sight,always there. As I looked at the sun I realised it was getting late and started to swim to the shore, looking for my father. I soon found him with some Blue Sharks. We desided it was time to head in. I took a breath and went under water to wave bye to Spot, not like she would know, I just wanted to say bye. Spot swam up to my hand and brushed her ruff, dry skin against my hand. I smiled as i watched her swim off.

"How was it?" my father asked. "Better then I ever dreamed!" We started to chat and realate all are tales of the day as we walked to the parking lot. he told me how it "Amazed him and caused him to become more interested in aquatic stuff later on." and how it caused him to be more understanding and appraciative of marine life, he was also overjoyed that there were so many sharks. He highly recomends this to other people to do in there free time, and if you dont have any, make some!! It is worth it! Another friend of mind, Katherine, described the event of snorkaling with fish in Hawaii said that she was "Exited at all the different kinds of fish." and she was most exited when she was swimming thro the schools of fish, and that even tho she was scared before and during the snorkaling, she was afraid of the current taking her away. So even when she was afraid she still had a lot of fun with all the odd and unusual fish.

Now every Autum we go out to San Diegos La Jolla shores to see the sharks, altho some go to La Jolla cove for the odd array of fish. Why? you may ask do people go swimming with them every year? Well once you see these misunderstood creatures in there water, graceful, elegent, and so calm, you cant help but be drawn to them again and again. Blue sharks,Shortfin Mako Shark, Leapord shark, Horned Shark,Bat Rays, Barracudas, Sea lions,Guitarfish, octopus, Moray eels, Thorn back ray, and much more are to be seen, even the common thresher shark who can be up to 20 feet long, who come near the shore to hunt the smaller sharks, like the 13 foot Blue shark. Many people enjoy going back to there family and friends with tales of these deadly creatures. All you need for this is just a wet suit and some snorkling gear, you may go alone but some people prefer to go in groups. I personaly advise you to go alone, since you will see a lot more sharks that way, they will literaly be circling around you!Seeing these creatures around you just cant help but bring a smile to your face.