Sunday, September 25, 2011

Diana Nyad Swim 2 - Shark Handlers on Duty

Photo Credit: Malcolmobbs.com
 For those in-the-know long distance swimmer Diana Nyad is 2/3rds of the way through her third attempt at crossing from Cuba to Florida.

Her shark team this time around features Tiger Beach, Bahamas very own Capt Rob MacDonald who recently had a successful run in with a curious Oceanic Whitetip shark.

By successful, he was able to deploy non lethal techniques to keep the animal disinterested in Diana's long distance attempt.

Around 1 p.m. -- and don't everybody get excited here -- an oceanic whitetip shark was spotted near Diana in the midst of the three-boat flotilla. Diana is deeply committed to the safety of these extraordinary animals. Rob MacDonald, one of her talented safety divers, swam towards the shark, where they faced off within 10 feet of one another. "I guess he thought I was more aggressive than him, and he turned in the other direction," said MacDonald. Everyone else, it must be said, breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Kudos to the entire shark team out there right now and to Diana herself for what looks to he another harrowing but ultimately successful (fingers crossed) attempt at the record books swimming a total distance of 103 + miles.

Diana is the stuff that real legends are made of - the right stuff.

All those involved on the recent 18=30 mile media fiasco should be paying attention.