Dolphin Attack

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We are in Shark Bay, Western Australia, right now. It really lives up to its name - there are shark everywhere. We have seen so many from the beach, gliding by as a dark shadow in the turquoise water. We've also seen turtles, rays, sea snakes, and dugongs in unbelievable quantities.

However, what the area is really famous for are the friendly dolphins. Every day, the local conservation group feeds them fish right off shore in about knee height water. Both Scott and I got to hand feed them - it was amazing!

Later that day, we were in the "swim zone" and about three dolphins happened to swim by. We had our snorkels on so of course started looking under water for them when suddenly I felt something big nudge me. I assumed it was Scott playing around trying to scare me but he later swore that he didn't. I looked down and saw a dolphin gliding through the water right under Scott - that was what had nudged me! Typical - in a bay with the highest concentration of shark in the world, it's a dolphin that "attacks" me!!!

Today, we were on the pier looking down into the water and watching some people in about 2 feet of water as a couple of dolphins swam around playfully. Suddenly, Scott spotted a dark shadow about 10 feet away from them and shouted "shark!" Everyone moved out of the water so quickly!!! It turned out to be a shuffle nose shark, and was about 4 or 5 feet long! Of course, all the commotion led to lots of other people on the beach rushing over to see what we were all running from, it was so funny! I am sure the dolphins try to create things to amuse themselves - you wonder who is watching who?!

Tomorrow we are going to move to the campsite right on the beach to see some early morning and evening dolphin and shark action before heading up to Ningaloo reef - can't wait! Meredith, you are going to love it!

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