The ocean is glassy as our small boat motors away from Oahu’s North Shore. We’re off on a big adventure. We were heading into open water, to meet the most misunderstood creatures in the sea: sharks.
On the ride out, the crew from One Ocean Diving move about the deck chatting to passengers, their energy a mix of professionalism and passion. They brief us on what to expect, and what not to fear. We’re given detailed instructions on how to respond if sharks approach us.
“Retain eye contact and position yourself so your fins extend towards the shark. Stay above the sharks to respect the hierarchy – and take off your smart watches as sharks can sense any electronic pulses. And no selfies.”
We’re also given a lesson in shark behaviour. If they’re swimming parallel and piggybacking, it’s to show levels of dominance, if their fins drop they are displaying threatening behaviour. But this isn’t just a safety talk; it is a crash course in shark conservation. Our trip director explains “Every year, around 100 million sharks are killed”. This number is hard to comprehend. Sharks are fished for shark fin soup, but shark meat is also often disguised on menus under names like flake or dogfish and sometimes used in pet food.
The implications are sobering, not only is shark meat harmful to human health, containing mercury at dangerous levels, but removing sharks from the food chain destabilises the very ecosystems we depend on for oxygen. “Quite simply, if sharks go, the oceans go. And if the oceans go, we go.”
With that, we anchor. Mask on, fins on, it’s time. I slide into the crystal-clear water and look down. Below me, Galapagos sharks appear, sleek and unhurried, circling with effortless grace. They move in and out of view, at times gliding closer, eyes sharp and curious. The adrenalin hits, but it isn’t fear. It’s awe. Suspended in open water, you feel weightless, small, and completely humbled in the presence of these amazing creatures.
And then, a flash of stripes as a tiger shark, larger and bolder, sweeps through the blue. She is gone in seconds, too fast for my GoPro, but her presence lingers long after she disappears into the depths. She’s a baby really, only 2.3 m long, and known to the crew – her name is Anueanue – around seven years old.
For nearly an hour, we float above this living ballet, the crew narrating behaviours and pointing out individuals they’d come to know. Their enthusiasm is contagious, their respect for these animals’ absolute. In their company, it is impossible to see sharks as villains.
Back on the boat, the mood is electric. The divers are not just buzzing from the thrill of proximity to sharks; everyone is changed by the experience. One Ocean Diving has done more than deliver an adventure for these divers; they have reframed a narrative.
Swimming with sharks in Hawaii is not about ticking off a daring escapade. It’s about perspective. It’s about understanding that the creatures we’ve been taught to fear are essential to our survival. And once you’ve locked eyes with a tiger shark in the deep blue, there’s no going back — you’ll never think of sharks the same way again.
In Hawaii, shark conservation has cultural and ecological significance. Sharks, or ‘mano‘, are revered in Hawaiian traditions as guardians and family protectors, and today they are increasingly recognised as vital to both the environment and local identity. Thanks to recent legislation, including bans on the capture and killing of sharks in Hawaiian waters, Hawaii has become a leader in protecting these apex predators.
Sharks have been broadly protected under Hawaii state law since January 2022, while more specific protections (like banning shark fins) began around 2010.
But the work is far from done. By supporting operators like One Ocean Diving, who combine tourism with research and education, visitors contribute to this ongoing effort to safeguard sharks, ensuring that Hawaiian waters remain a sanctuary for them and the ecosystems they support.
If you do just one ocean experience in Hawaii, make it this one. You’ll leave not only with unforgettable memories, but with the knowledge that you’ve glimpsed the truth about sharks, and why the future of our oceans depends on them.
