As we emerged from the boat today, fellow cruisers' first greetings consistently went something this, "Hi, how are you, don't let the kids swim, there are bull sharks in the water."
Super. Normally we are not too worried about sharks, but the sharks in Bimini harbor are not normal. They've been fed fish scraps for years, so they are huge, they are hungry, and they know that everything that lands on the surface is a tasty snack for them.
Being at a marina means the boat is tied to a dock which means there are now a few extra points of accidental entry into the ocean aside from simply falling off the boat. As one gets on or off the boat on to the dock, there is usually a space between the boat and dock that varies from a few inches to a couple of feet. This gap keeps the boat from pushing or banging into the dock with wind, current or tidal changes and at Weech's was created by lines heading out in four directions from the boat. Access to C.Spirit while she is docked is further complicated by the extra netting we put up on the sides of the boat necessitating a little extra climbing to get on and off her.
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| Weech's Bimini Dock |
Staying at a marina also means lots of walking along the dock to and from the common areas, showers and restrooms. Lots of opportunity for the girls to fall off into the waiting mouths of bull sharks.
Bull sharks are known for their aggressive behavior. A NOAA Fisheries Fact Sheet states, "Bull sharks are one of the top three sharks implicated in unprovoked fatal attacks throughout the world." They are apex predators. That is, they are at the top of their food chain. They have few or no predators able to prey on them. They are the alpha predator, the top dog, the big kahuna.
The NOAA information page further describes the bull shark's advantageous adaptations:
"Teeth that are replaced throughout their life. Sensitive smell receptors. Eyes that adapt quickly to low levels. Lateral line receptors that sense movement in the water. Electroreceptors that detect electrical fields due to the presence of prey."
Even though as humans we are the apex of all apex predators, we accepted that we likely had no chance if anyone fell into the water. We were proven wrong, of course, as we later watched a free diving fisherman emerge from the water after a successful conch collecting session unscathed by bull sharks.
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| Bull sharks get their name from their stout snouts and their bullish behavior. |
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| They have a tendency to head-butt their prey before attacking. |
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| We watched these pro fishermen clean the day's catch, tie the remains on a line, and dangle them in the water to tease and feed the bull sharks. |
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| As the sharks ate the fish, the fishermen would tug and pull on the line. What would happen if they pulled the shark into their boat, I wondered. |
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| Mostly I made sure the girls did not fall into the pool of 5-6 sharks and 1 sting ray below. |
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| Alice Town in Bimini -- cool to think of Ernest Hemingway hanging out here |
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| Looking at the Gulf Stream |
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| There are lots of half-finished homes |
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| Playing "Queen" -- Sage and her minions |
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| Our first Bahamian friend |
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| We are here! |
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