An Underwater Adventure Rita McDermott   © Copyright 2025 by Rita McDermott

I love to travel. I live for one adventure to the next. I especially love tropical islands with crystal clear, turquoise waters and white sandy beaches. I love coral reefs and the colorful fish that dart from one hiding place to another.

Each year I plan a great adventure to a new destination with budding excitement about what awaits me there. In 2018, I decided to travel to the land of Belize. My cousin, as well as a most suitable travel companion, decided to join in on the experience.

In May 2018, we flew into the wild blue yonder, heading for our much-anticipated adventure. Our big metal bird landed on the tarmac and released us into the brilliant sunlight, and hot humid weather of the country.

We tried to make a reservation for a thatched hut on the beach, but due to full occupancy, settled for a quaint, cozy and colorful, shuttered cottage, embellished with tropical foliage. The beach was a stones throw away from our quarters.

As soon as our sandals hit the ground and our suitcases were opened, we donned our swimsuits and hit the sand. We settled into our lounge chairs and appreciated the light cool breeze blowing in from the Caribbean Sea. It gave us a little relief from the heat and humidity we were not accustomed to.

We watched the locals wander up and down the strip selling their wares to foreign visitors.

As we stared out to sea, sargassum lined the water’s edge, and the waves continued to further push it upon the shore.

We decided to explore the area and rented a golf cart for transportation, to get around the dusty, dry dirt streets. Bicycles, motorbikes and feet seemed to be the other main modes of transport, with an occasional bus rolling by. The car population was low in comparison to that in the states.

During one of our free-wheeling golf-cart excursions, we stopped and sauntered into one of the open-air bars, and ordered us up some rum and coke, with lots of ice. We sat with the locals and enjoyed the cool reprieve from the heat.

We were discussing our recreational plans when I noticed some pamphlets about opportunities we could explore.

There on the bar counter lay our exciting underwater adventure. It was a colorful brochure filled with the details about a swim with the sharks. Hmm… it sounded enticing and risky at the same time. I was up for it. I told myself it must be safe if they take people on this excursion every day. I just had to convince my cousin that she was up for it too!

The locals told us it was a swim with nurse sharks that weren’t interested in humans for breakfast. The brochure told us after a pickup at our hotel the boat captain would navigate the waters to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve where we could safely snorkel and swim with the sharks, and other creatures lurking under the sea.

My cousin agreed to come along on the boat ride but wasn’t sure about getting in the water, especially with sharks. We stopped to pick up a few more passengers and we were on our way! A few of the folks who joined us were experienced in snorkeling and swimming with sharks. They tried to convince my cousin and me that the whole concept was nothing to be afraid of, and that it would be an unforgettable adventure. My cousin and I still had our doubts. Visions from the “Jaws” movie and the theme song danced in my head.

We smoothly sailed into our spot. We readied with our snorkeling gear. The captain threw some chum over the right side of the boat to attract our swimming shark companions. I don’t know where all these sharks came from as we didn’t spot any along the way. But, boy did they come! It was a feeding frenzy of about 30 sharks stacked on top of each other, in less than a minute, when that chum hit the water. I’ve never seen anything like it.

In the meantime, the captain is telling us to jump in the water from the opposite side of the boat. My cousin and me just looked at each other like, “are you crazy? I ain’t gettin off this boat!” I think I watched too many documentaries and shark movies to think of them as gentle creatures, and how would I know a nurse shark versus any other. We sat and watched the other passengers, one by one, disperse into the shark infested water. The experienced shark swimming passengers were still trying to convince us we wouldn’t be eaten, much unlike the chum which was gone as fast as it hit the water. It still seemed hard to accept.

After the sharks had their fill, they quickly spread out, probably heading for the next boat, bringing them some more afternoon delight. The passengers already in the water were all spared from being shark food, despite our grave concern, and regardless of those “safe to do” claims. This gave me the courage to consider getting in the water too.

When the crowd of sharks dissipated, I decided to get in. Only a handful of them remained in the nearby water. My cousin finally decided to take the plunge after additional coaxing from the experienced shark swimmers too. They were kind enough to stay next to her in the water.

I swam to the rear of the boat cautiously searching for what lurked beneath. I noticed a huge nurse shark right below me. I think it was the biggest out of the mob! I was looking down at that shark, through my goggles, and I swear it had eyes on me. I thought to myself, “holy crap!” Visions of shark attacks hit me again. I kept my hands at my side and my bright yellow fins still and just floated. I think that minute was one of the longest I’ve ever had… wondering what that shark had planned. Hoping it wasn’t me.

As I am writing this now, you know what the decision was. After what seemed like an eternity, the shark swam off. I am quite thankful for that. You can bet I let out a big sigh of relief that it favored me, and that I am here to share my tale. I think I can say I even felt safer and braver after the moment passed, and all the nurse sharks apparently moved onward. I even continued to snorkel, but not without wondering what other creatures lurked beneath.

It was an underwater adventure I will never forget. Would I do it again? I will just say some things are extra special because it’s a once in a lifetime thing.

Rita is an emerging writer from PA., USA. She has previously published a story with the preservation foundation about her army basic training experience. She has been a contributor of poetry in PA Bards Poetry Review the past 3 years and has published a poem with The Writers Journal.