Swimming with sharks is the kind of activity you tell your mother you did only after you’ve done it. In my case, my daughter brought me along. We booked the cage-free snorkeling experience with One Ocean, a group of marine biologists and certified safety divers who educate the public and conduct research and conservation efforts.
When I boarded the boat, I carried decades of fear instilled by the killer great white shark portrayed in the Jaws movie franchise, but I was also excited to swim in their habitat and learn. After a short briefing, I took my seat as we left the dock. I hummed the Hawaii Five-O theme song during the high-speed boat ride.
After the boat captain turned off the engine, we descended a ladder to the water and gripped a rope until the guides signaled us to let go and dive with them. I was surprised by the clarity and color of the water. Below, you can see the Galapagos sharks next to me. Somewhat deeper, a school of sandbar sharks circled. They’re on the lower left-hand side.
I didn’t feel nauseous until the crew directed us to climb back into the boat. I walked to the stern, emptied the contents of my stomach and washed my breakfast overboard with a spray nozzle. It was a price I gladly paid to swim with sharks. It was the same price I paid to be pregnant with my girls and to acclimatize to the altitude in Cusco in advance of hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in 2018.
After the shark swim, we drove south to Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden, about 20 minutes from Honolulu. The garden spans 400 acres and was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood protection.
My first trip to Hawaii was with my mother—thank you, Mom! She treated me to the vacation as a college graduation gift. We lounged along Waikiki Beach, shopped and ate in Honolulu and visited Pearl Harbor National Memorial. I hope to make it back to Hawaii several more times in my life.
My son went to college in Hawaii. A little less glamour to shop for dorm room stuff at the Walmart west of Waikiki.