Decision Point
I knew it was a mistake as soon as I looked down and saw how high I was. Thoughts of backing out went through my mind, but I knew that if I didn’t go through with it, I would always regret it. The fact that my best friend had already jumped and was waiting for me on the beach, not to mention the guy that I had a crush on was watching nearby, made the pressure I felt even stronger.
Getting to shark rock itself was no easy trek. We traveled down the beach for what seemed like miles, and then crossed over a shallow space of water. It was there where the rock sprung menacingly out from beneath the mainland looking uncannily like a great white shark, fins and all with its great head extended. When the tide came in, the route was impassable making the great head look as if it was jumping out of the water. If you didn’t make it back across in time, you could be trapped there. This was only part of the lure of Sharks cove though.
This was also the place where the local fishermen would feed the sharks just beyond reef. The mixture of chum and food garbage made them go crazy. Stories were circulated about how there would be so many sharks trying to be fed that their backs covered the entire cove. If these stories were meant as a deterrent however, it had the opposite effect. Local kids thought this made the perfect place to test their manhood. You didn’t turn down a dare to go there unless you wanted to be shunned at school.
Every now and then when the tide would come in, it was said that the smaller reef sharks could swim over the reef and reach the warmer, shallower areas. Hawaiian legend tells about the King of the sharks taking the shape of a man and marrying a beautiful maiden. They had a child together who grew to be a man with a shark mouth on his back. After he grew up, he discovered his appetite for meat. When it was revealed that he had been attacking the locals, they tried to kill him. He managed to escape and was chased into the waters and never seen on land again. Local say that Mano, or shark-man could sometimes be seen coming in close to shore seeking revenge on those who had forced him out to sea. This rock was supposedly the place where it all had happened.
Legend or not, I knew that sharks could be a reality. After all, I lived on an island in Hawaii. I learned long ago that the ocean could be your friend, or foe. It all comes down to how you look at it. Right now looking down, I was pretty sure it was my foe.
I could feel my sweat making trails down my face and neck as I nervously looked down noting how the incoming crystal blue waves crashed thunderously against the jagged rocks at the base of the cliff. The tide was coming in, and soon it would be getting dark taking with it the heat of the day and the chance to finally prove I was no coward. Calls of encouragement from my friends, and snickers from others who wanted me to fail echoed like a drum beat in my head and pounded in perfect timing with the foaming incoming waves. In hesitation I glanced upwards once more, and saw the beautiful brown eyes of the guys I was smitten by smile encouragingly at me. For a moment our eyes locked together and I could almost hear him saying “come on, you can do it.”
Finding my courage at last, I closed my eyes and took one last deep breath, and jumped out as far as I could. Time seemed to move in slow motion and I could hear the muted yells and cheers above me as I hit the water like a rocket launching into space. Instantly I felt the pull of the ocean and in alarm I kicked furiously trying to surface to find air. Panic set in as I felt the grip of the wave pushing me to and fro trying to keep me under. Kicking with all my might I battled the undertow and finally felt a slight weakening in its grip. In elation my head burst out of the water tasting the salty brine of the ocean burning my nose and throat.
Coughing and chocking I reached up, parting my hair that had somehow managed to plaster itself against my face. Through blurred stinging eyes I looked up at the ominous cliff above me impressed at how high it seemed from down here. Squinting, I noticed everyone on the cliff pointing and yelling something. Trying to unplug my ears that were still full of water, I couldn’t quite make out what they were saying. Confusion turned to realization as my gaze followed to where they were pointing and I was able to make out a dark silhouette and what looked like a fin in the water only 20 feet from where I was. Stunned by recognition I tried to cry out just as a huge wave engulfed my head sending me head over heels once again. Terror swept through me and icy fear grip my heart as I racked my brain trying to remember what to do if I ever saw a predator in the water. Surfacing from the wave I looked around frantically trying to see what had become of the dark shadow I had seen. The theme song from Jaws droned on and on in my head and I watched as if in slow motion the shadow moving silently closer.
“What do I do what do I do?” My mind screamed at me, and I realized that I had only a few moments to decide. Scenes from my life flashed before me and I felt dread like I have never known before or since. I was sorry for all the things that I had done wrong in my life, sorry for not kissing that boy I liked, and sorry that I had given in to pressure and jumped off that stupid cliff. Crazy thoughts of Mano the shark man coming to eat me mocked my sanity and I mourned at the absurdity of my situation.
Finally a coherent thought crossed my memory and I remembered that sharks are attracted to movement and thrashing. For some reason they think that the thrashing is from a wounded animal and will go for the kill. Without a second thought, I stopped treading water and willed myself to relax. Another waved slammed into me and I fought the urge to kick against it tasting bile in my throat mixed with brine. My body tossed like a rag doll in the surf while wave after wave slammed into me tossing me precariously near the rocks. Panic set in as my lungs burned for air and I knew that I had to find the surface soon. I had no idea where the shark was, which way was up, or if I could make it to air again, but I knew I had to try.
Drowning or be eaten by a shark was not my preferred way to die. Determination and a will to live steeled my arms and legs and I kicked my legs hard feeling sand surprisingly just a few feet beneath me. I had somehow been pushed into shore by the onslaught of waves and had ended up only a few feet from the beach. Not daring to look back I swam as hard as I could, unbelief flowing through me that my plan had worked. I had actually tricked the shark! Gratitude washed over me as I felt the strong arms of one of my friends helping me out of the water. Digging my toes into the soft brown sand I managed to make my wobbling legs climb out of the water.
“Are you alright?” She asked “What were you thinking to stop swimming like that? Don’t you know you could have ended up hitting your head on the rocks?” She said scolding me on and on. I couldn’t understand what she was saying. Here she was was scolding me instead of congratulating me on my unbelievable escape from death.
Disgusted and discouraged at her lack of sympathy. I made my way up the beach where the sand was dry and hot. I collapsed in relief, fresh tears stinging my eyes.
“Where is it, where is it?” I asked trembling trying to make words form while spitting sand and particles of shells out of my mouth.
By then a small group of fellow rock jumpers had gathered around my panting form to see what had happened.
“Where is it?” I screamed again, this time demanding to know what had become of my shark.
“It’s still there, just beyond the rock” someone said.
“I can’t believe we were so lucky to see one this close” I heard someone else say. In the background I could hear other people murmuring similar sentiments and I listened in disbelief.
“Man, I wish I could have been out there swimming when it came in. You were so lucky!” exclaimed a guy I didn’t recognize.
“Lucky? Lucky? Are you insane? I could have been eaten by a shark and all you can say is how lucky I was?” I yelled in anger and unbelief, confused at the surprise on everyone’s face.
“Shark?” Someone asked, “What shark? That wasn’t a shark. That was just a giant green sea Turtle.
Laughter and hoot calls rang out as several more people crowded in around me wondering if I was ok and what was going on.
Relief and embarrassment mixed with disbelief washed over me as I realized that I hadn’t really been in danger at all. Visions of what I must have looked like flashed through my head and I didn’t know if to laugh or to cry. Hanging my head I wiped my face, and realized that my legs were shaking. Fighting back the anguish and anger at my situation I realized that I didn’t care what the others had seen! Never again would I feel the need to prove myself to anyone else! Today, I overcome more than just out- swimming a shark! Standing up, my head held high, I ignored murmurings and mumbles of those that didn’t matter, and walked the other way. I felt someone wrap a beach towel and arm around me and I looked up in wonder to see beautiful brown eyes leading me towards my waiting friends.
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