Fidji: Viti Levu/Paradise Harbour: "It's Saturday, they know Papa's coming..."

Who in the world wants to go swimming with dolphins when instead you could be diving with sharks? Lukas and me definitely wanted to go for that second option in Fidji where you can book a special diving trip where you can see numerous different sharks as their feed by the crew. But as Lukas finally decided to rather spend his time on the nice Yasawa beaches, this job was up to me. It's tough, but hey, somebody's gotta do it, right?! ;-)
On the boat to the divesite I actually asked myself: Where have all the good times gone when I was still happy and entertained just kicking a football or drinking beer? Where does that need come from to jump out of perfectly working airplanes or go swimming with sharks? But nevermind, no time to think about it as the captain introduced himself and his crew: "Hello, my name is Papa, I'll be your captain for today and I'll also do some of the sharkfeeding later on. Today is saturday, so they'll be already waiting. They know Papa is coming..." Oh sweet, Paps, thanks so much for that, We all feel so much better now.
As this was obviously no ordinary dive. Also the briefing for it was a lot more detailed, not just the usual "Alright guys, here's the a cool riff, here's bit of current, let's go´, have fun!"No, this time there's detailed instructions, we're diving in a tight corset this time, so to speak. Dive to 30m, kneel down behind a small corall wall watch the first feeding, when that's done dive up to 10m, second feeding, and after that back to the boat, hopefully everybody in one piece.
Even though there were no Great White Sharks waiting for us just below the surface, a lot of other big fish definitely knew that we would be coming: As soon as we were in the water there's school after school of different fish (I'm really bad with names, with humans just as with fish...) and further down you could already see the first shadows of sharks with their distinct body form silently moving around like shadows, awaiting us and our food for them.
After all ten divers had taken their assigned place and also the dive masters "guarding" us with iron sticks were in place, the show began: The crew on the boat let down a huge bin with dead fish and even before he cracked its seal, the feeder was surrounded by what seems like a cyclone of fish swirling around him, awaiting food. Giant Groopers, Giant Trevally, Surgeonfish, among other are there as well as the promised wide range of sharks, Black and White Tip Sharks, Grey Reef Sharks, Nurse Sharks, Lemon Sharks and Bull Sharks, longer about 2,5m length and weighing more than 200 pounds the heavyweights of the dive.
During the second feeding on 10m depth there were only smaller fish and sharks, but they were much closer which makes it even scarier than the first feeding. Even though the smaller sharks species are much smaller than a human being, there still easily recognisable as sharks and therefore plain scary. When the swim past you just a few feet away or actually swim towards you for a second before going for the food again, you realise that (at least in this regard) size doesn't matter.
After about 40 minutes of diving we surfaced again, rested on the boat and got briefed for the second dive which is even scarier than the first briefing. Because after the general directions (Follow us down to 15m, lay down behind the coral wall and STAY THERE!! until we give the signal to surface again) "Papa" gave us a few hints just in case one of the two tigersharks that sometimes show in the area should turn up. It was equally horrifying, exciting and fascinating hearing about "Doris"and "Scarface", the two 4 and 5,5 meter long ladies: For example that they used to rip out the big box with food out of its anchorage or that we HAVE TO stay lying down until told otherwise they might incidentaly hit us with their backfin and wouldn't feel so great.
However, we didn't get to experience the ultimate thrill of Doris or Scarface visiting that day, unfortunately or Thank God, who knows. But still, "just" the ten to 15 bull sharks being fed was quite a sight to behold: Like the toreros in Spain the feeder played with the sharks, guiding them past him with the food and mere split seconds after he let go of the food one of them was crushing it with its huge mouth. During this, our "guards" were again all over the place and one also behind the feeder to watch his back. On top of that, the feeder's torso and right arm and hand were protected by a chain mail he's wearing under his wet suit. I would guess that if it was tested, shark feed on chain mail, the latter would be as strong a protection as burger buns are for the meat between them. But it looks cool and probably helps at least in a psychological way. So the feeder did his shark-torero-thing, dancing with sharks (Mr. Costner, a follow-up to you succesful movie maybe?!), sometimes he also went up a couple of metres, letting fall the food and letting the sharks "hunt" for it.
However, having described this incredible experience I also have to put my own heroism into persective: Just as the whole thing was exciting, fascinating and thrilling, it was also perfectly planned and carried out. There was never a feeling of being in real danger. During the second dive I actually spent more time thinking about my urge to go pee and about how cold I was than about the numerous bull sharks which are by the way considered the most dangerous shark species for humans next to the Great White Sharks and the Tigersharks.

P.S.: As I don't call a good underwater camera my own and as my fellow divers of that day haven't sent me any pictures yet (and probably now won't anymore), I can only show you the few above-water-pictures I took with my camera. If you're interest in more informations and pictures about this kind of diving trip, check out www.fiji-sharks.com.