It’s mid shark week. It’s usually something I look forward to every year. I like sharks. At least, from a distance.
But each year around shark week I also get curious about what might be swimming around off our shores. So I like to check. Not that you can see all of them. Although it would be interesting if you could. But even the ones we can see don’t seem as numerous.
Those trackers do not last forever. Although maybe we can set up a service on a wharf somewhere. We sit on the end of the wharf and provide service for shark trackers. They pull in, get a quick battery change and signal check, maybe a good tooth cleaning, possibly scrape off a few barnacles, then off they go for another year.
But some of the old favourites seem to be dropping off. The trackers could be just coming to the end of their lives. Or, something I want to think about even less, there is something out there even bigger enjoying shark for lunch. Seriously. Anything that can eat a fifteen hundred pound shark is not something I want to get close to.
Honestly, I don’t want to get close to the fifteen hundred pound shark. But it is nice to have an idea where it’s hanging out.
Tagging sharks off our shores was not something everyone was in favour of. There were a few complaints over the years that the company involved would be chumming too close to shore. Attracting sharks to snack on local beach goers is probably not what we are looking for, but it was pretty interesting to actually see some of the sharks that have been hanging around our shores for years without us ever noticing.
When you stop seeing the pings from nearby, you start to wonder. Are the sharks having problems? Have found another vacation spot? Are they demanding shark month, not just shark week?
There are a few around. It would be nice to know there are more. Although I’m sure things like seals are quite content not to have more sharks around.
I’ll have to remember to check in next year during shark week. Just to see how things are going.
