After getting my Padi Open Water last October, and letting on just how petrified I'd be at the sighting of anything that resembled at shark, my friends dared me to do a shark dive. Not wanting to look like a wimp, I took on the challenge and signed myself and my friend Pete up to do it. ... Pete was told he had been signed up rather than being asked, and his since regretted winding me up on the subject.
Since booking up, I've found out that the sharks get fed the morning after I dive with them, that six of the sharks (Sand Tiger sharks) grow up to 3.2 meters and that a member of staff was bitten by one of the sharks towards the end of last year. This is helping my fear no end.
As my colleague put it, if there's a chance I'll die, I might has well have done it for a good cause. I have therefore decided to raise some money for charity so whether I live and conquer my fear, or this all goes horribly wrong, some good will come of it! I've paid to do the dive in full, so any money I raise all goes to a worthy cause. Please, please sponsor me and make this all worth while.
If you want to come watch, this is happening at Deep Sea World in North Queensferry (Scotland), on Friday 15th January at 6pm. Viewing tickets are £10 and need to be booked in advance from the ticket office. Also if you let me know - I've been asked to keep a total of the number of spectators as the centre is closed to the public, so numbers are needed in advance. If you can't make it don't worry, pictures will be taken and posted up on this site for everyone else's amusement.
Details of how to sponsor me are under sponsor Zoe. Apologies in advance for the form...
You don't need to swim faster than a shark, just faster than the other divers. Pete - beware, I've been practising.