We’re so ecstatic to finally be able to say: Welcome to the Bahamas!
It’s like we’ve crossed the finish line after a really long race. Part of us feels exhausted, and the other part feels more energetic than ever. Years of hard work, dedication, and preparation have all led up to this very moment.
In today’s episode, we’re going spearfishing, diving with sharks, and making friends with stingrays. And it’s a beautiful day for adventure. We see our first Bahamian sunrise with nothing but open water ahead.
Diving with sharks in the Bahamas has special significance for us. A year ago, we went shark diving on our honeymoon. Although we mainly saw nurse sharks, at one point four bull sharks showed up. No big deal—the bull shark is only one of the most feared sharks in the ocean, second only to the Great White. Because they have so much testosterone, they tend to be aggressive.
That day a year ago, once we were back up on the boat, I (Cole) asked Emily if she knew what we’d just done.
“Yeah, we swam with sharks,” she said. When I explained about the bull sharks, her face completely changed. Good thing she only found out afterward! Otherwise, fear might’ve kept her from diving in.
That’s true for most things in life. The biggest thing that stops people from chasing their dreams or the things that set their souls on fire is fear. So, on this adventure, we’ve decided we’re facing our fears. We’re going to get comfortable with uncomfortable situations.
In order to dive with sharks in the Bahamas, first, we had to find them. We dropped a box of squid into the water to attract them, and together with our good friend Laurent (@lcgloor), a freediving instructor, we dove into literal shark-infested waters, ready to face our fears head-on. Check out the video for some close-up footage of these amazing animals!
Next, we went spearfishing, and not just for the fun of it: dinner depended on our success. Thankfully Laurent caught an African Pompano, his “dream fish”. He’s been spearfishing for a long time, but this is the first AP he’s caught.
Later, when we headed to a secluded island to let Dixie run around, we were met by some unexpected hosts: stingrays.
Who knew that my (Cole’s) summer job at SeaWorld would come in handy one day? I learned how to feed stingrays when I was 14, working there at the hot dog stand near the stingray exhibit. Watch as we feed an eager stingray, as friendly as a puppy in the water. (Dixie even gets a little jealous!)
Stingrays can fall into that “feared ocean animal” category, especially after the death of Steve Irwin. You definitely never want to step on one, but the one we met today seemed pretty docile and used to humans.
We found something else unexpected on this uninhabited island: plastic, and tons of it. It was shocking to see, especially because no one lives there. Did you know there are 5.2 trillion macro and micro pieces of plastic in our oceans?
We ended Day 1 in the Bahamas with a campfire on the beach. As I (Emily) reflected on the day, I kept going back to the topic of fear. I remember how afraid I was the first time I dove with sharks. Fear is our body’s way of keeping us safe—but it can also be irrational and hold us back from what we really want out of life. Have you ever stopped to wonder what you could accomplish if you didn’t let fear hold you back?
We love this quote by George Addair: “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” When we dove with sharks, obviously we were rewarded with seeing sharks. But it was so much more than sharks. It was the sense of adventure that came with it. It was the exhilarating feeling of knowing we pushed through the fear. It was the confidence we built, that we can store up and use the next time we feel unsettled.
What dream are you going to commit to pursuing, despite the fear? If you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you! Drop a comment below.
