(08-30-2023, 04:38 AM)EndtheMadnessNow Wrote: When I lived in Hawaii I was in the ocean practically every day and my daughter at the time could not get enough salt water. It was so bad when we drove the car to go where ever I had to take routes that avoid ocean views, which as you might imagine is near impossible on an island. Soon as she spotted the ocean she would throw a fit, kickin & screamin.
At one beach you could swim out to a sandbar or walk to it during low tide. A few times we splashed around after swimming to the sandbar and played around with the sharks, about 3-4 feet in size. I forgot what type they were but obviously non-aggressive. Dolphins would sometimes come in and the sharks would race off. Fun times!
Once I moved to Oregon the ocean playing days ended, too freakin ice cold unless you have a wet suit. Instead I hung out in rivers, creeks & waterfalls.
The ocean, she is merciless, nearly drowned twice due to strong riptide current and those areas with known sharks I stay feet dry on the beach.
I'm sort of in that same predicament now. I don't live near the beach, but when we go, my youngest daughter wants to keep going farther and farther. Meanwhile I'm thinking, wouldn't you rather build a nice sand castle?
More and more great whites showing up along the east coast too, especially up near Cape Cod. They think it might be a breeding ground. I'm good. I love sharks, they're impressive animals, I just want to be nowhere near them.
That experience you had must have been pretty cool though, with the 4-footers. Always wanted to go to Hawaii, but it seems like there are too many tiger sharks. I saw a video in Florida where a drone captured a 12-foot tiger swimming BETWEEN people in chest-deep water and the shoreline. No thanks.