Aloha! Just a recount of some shark encounters while I wait out a dry spell. I apologize in advance if I start talking "Da Kine" pigeon while sharing my thoughts, but it's only natural for an island boy to bus out da kine when talk story! Hope you enjoy. I share a little island thought regarding the Mano, or shark. For those not familiar with Hawaiian mythology, an Aumakua is a demigod many times associated with the protection of family members by past ancestors. That's why culling for sharks in Hawaii is not a popular thing. Traditional Hawaiin Kakau, or tatoo, has the triangular shark tooth design as worn by King Kamehameha's warriors and watermen invoking protection.
Mano:My aumakua, or Jus' One Toothy Taxman?
I apologize in advance, but I'm in San Diego on a layover, looking out on the pacific toward home, reminiscing about my own experiences with the Mano, the "toothy taxman." The recent news of Mark's encounter with a GWS over Kona side has prompted a lot of talk, speculation, and recollections of encounters many of us have experienced ourselves, or have heard about from others we know. Like most of you, the majority of my dives include one or more inquisitive Mano, or a hungry hunter trying to
benefit from my efforts of killing fish. Most of the time I go about my business slinging steel while keeping a careful and cautious eye on the shark's behavior. When we consistently see certain patterns of behavior we begin to assume we know all there is to know. But just like some of my friends' wives, every once and a while they totally break all patterns of logic and go aggro, displaying behavior we've never witnessed or expected. I have two experiences that have me scratching my head, still trying to figure out the "why". To explain my thoughts on the Mano, I want to give some background on my development as a spearo...thus the apology. Skip it if you like. But before you feel like criticizing my theories or thoughts, you might want to read it...otherwise skip it.
The great thing about being an airline captain is that it affords world wide travel and time off to indulge in my passion: spearfishing with my sons and friends, and sometimes, alone. While my home watahs always stay windward BI from first shallow reef-t'ree prong-Hana Buttah Days, poking manini and weke along Keaukaha's protected pools from Richardson's, For Miles (Fish Ponds), Onekahakaha, and "Private Beach " (only my Ohana and close friends call it that) , i have had the opportunity to spear in waters all over the world, so its no wonder that two of the strangest encounters I've had took place in Florida's waters 25- 30 nm west of Cedar Key, and not at home on BI. So before I relate these two events here is the background on me and my relationship with da Mano. Again, my apologies.
Spring break back on BI always took us ovah Kona side for sunny week of camping at Spencer Beach Park and diving Kawaihae from Pu'ukohola Heiau to D'On's Beach (named aftah my wahine, again only my Ohana and good friends know this "secret" fertile cove). It was a tradition to hit the cove at the Heiau aftah dinner and wade into its shallow waters and feed the juvenile pups of Mano kihikihi, hammerhead pups, since this was a breeding ground for the hammerheads. Jumping off the moorings in Kawaihae harbor was also alot of fun but tense at the same time knowing that the bigger manos patrolled the deeper waters. We always swam the distance fast and anxious...climbing out with chicken skin, but relieved to have made the swim out to the moorings, successfully climbed the rusty hand holds, jumped and "suicide dove" into the deep and refreshing watah, and made the swim back to the abandoned dock! CHEEHO! All good fun.
Several people I've met over the years harvest the white tip reef shark for food.During the day they "chillax" under ledges and in holes, making them an easy target. I remember when I started diving deeper and using guns instead of slings I would hit Ke Kahakai Beach (the old state beach north of Keahole Airport), still one of my favorite places to dive, swimming out to the lane. On one dive, before swimming out past the reef, i came across a resting adult white tip under a ledge where i was checking for one uhu i saw swim under. Thinking about the juicy steaks I've tasted in the past, I breathed up, dropped back down and pulled the trigger, sticking em right through the gill slits. He erupted out from under the ledge and tried to shake the shaft out thrashing and swimming in tight circles. As I watched this mano in distress all of a sudden I began to feel extreme remorse. It was the weirdest thing. I've never felt bad about putting an end to life to my food. Was it the stories by good aunties and uncles about the mano being aumakua of many Hawaiians? Was it My hanai brother's full blooded Hawaiian reverence for this mythical hunter? What evah it wuz, it hit me hard...you all know, like when you violate the inner code of ethics you live by. While watching this Mano in distress I realized that if I could get the shaft out he would be ok since he didn't seem to be mortally wounded. I saw that he would not be able to bend toward his tail to bite me because of the shaft sticking through his body. So I disconnected my shooting line from my reel line's pigtail swivel, eventually grabbing the white tip by the tail, and while pulling him backwards thru the water I grabbed the barbed end of the shaft and pulled as fast as I could while letting go of the tail. The mano took off as soon as he felt the shaft pull out, and I watched as my shooting line slid through his body and fell free of tension. *The mano takes off for deeper water and I realize I'm done...cooked...pau hana...heart rate through the roof. But I felt liberated for what I did. Karma? Pay it forward?
Years later my Florida dive crew and I were out in 70-80' of mostly clear Gulf water, diving a spot called xxxxxxxxx. Always get plenty fish!...and bull sharks too. *The vis is about 50', not the top to bottom vis we like when hitting xxxxxx. We have two dive pairs, Brent and Grant, Jared and me. Brent quietly slips in the water with Grant close behind. As he is breathing up he cautions us that there are more bull sharks on the structure than normal. We proceed. Jared enters the water with me close behind. *Just as I load the bands on my gun we hear the unmistakable sound of Brent's Australian made cannon go off. He surfaces and yells for us to get back in the boat as "hundreds" of bull sharks are coming off the structure. When he dropped he saw a nice Cobia (normally run with the sharks) and took the shot. As soon as he hit the cobe the bulls came off the structure (which was obscured due to vis/thermal cline) and stole the Cobia, the shaft, and started for Brent. By now I'm the only one with a loaded gun and I'm starting to see the bulls swimming in aggressive patterns all around us. Every one swims back to the boat while I'm swimming last keeping my gun pointed at every set of jaws that comes close. At one point a very girthy bull swims at me chest level so I do what has always worked in the past and extended my gun and swam aggressively at the mano while growling as loud as I could. He just pressed on...so I stop and swim backward toward the boat while facing this guy and getting ready to pull trigger when my buddies grab me from behind under the arms and throw me in the boat. Scared s#%~less, I drop my gun and let it sink as I'm being pulled in the boat...let the float line keep it. We have never seen that many bulls on one structure, never had them get so aggressive right off the bat. We've dove this spot regularly in every season before this experience and since. Nevah witnessed anything like it. There were so many bull sharks that we couldn't count them...literally hundreds it seemed . What was it? Some breeding ritual thing? Off season currents? Feeding event where there normally are only 2-5 bulls at the most except for this time? Still a mystery. Brent is Fla born and raised and one of the absolute most gifted and gentlemanly spearos i have met. He has seen it all...or so he thought. We still search for an explanation. These are his waters and this was the first and only time he's ever witnessed this.
Story 2:
Diving White xxxxx with my bruddah Jared. He brought along a friend who wanted to learn the ropes of free diving. So he's working with his friend and I'm off by myself dropping and shooting fish. I drop down to the main structure at 70' and nail a giant kahala. I let the reel spool as I hit the surface where I put the brakes on. *As I work the buggah, I'm enjoying the fight as well as the satisfaction that I've just poked my largest kahala. I finally get him up and straddle him and sink my knife into the top of his head. As I'm doing this I feel Jared ram into my right shoulder as he came over to help me subdue my fish...only it wasn't Jared. What I saw made me stop what I was doing and start kicking for the boat with quivering Kahala in my hands. I had just been "bumped" by an adult mako. A mako? What the heck was a mako doing in Gulf of Mexico this far in? 20-30 miles off shore it's only 60-80'. I warned Jared and his friend to be careful. Even they had a hard time believing it was a mako. But I know what I saw. It was a close up profile view just below the surface. I searched data bases just to compare what i saw with published photos . This Mano definitely was a mako. The amazing thing about this experience is that it has left an almost spiritual effect on me. I had a struggling fish in a bear hug. I was fighting a fish that was putting out "fish in distress" signals for more than 10 mins at least. I was surrounded by a cloud of fish blood and oil when the mano came calling. Why no bite? This day was not the clearest. Maybe 20-30' vis at the most. What is also amazing is that he didn't leave after bumping me. After I swam directly to the boat in that all too familiar backward swim with gun extended in one hand and death grip on the forked tail of my PB kahala technique, I got in the boat to ice my fish and take inventory of my right shoulder....still there, but my wetsuit looked liked it had been sanded by some heavy duty grit sandpaper. When it was apparent the shark was gone I got back in the water along with Jared as my safety diver and worked the bottom for grouper. On one descent I felt my fins bump together. Thinking that was odd, I looked up behind me and saw the same mako swimming away as if he was bored with me. When I surfaced Jared was big eyed and convinced it was a mako. Jared and I later made a drop together where I hammered my personal best grouper.
So, i ask, aumakua or toothy taxman looking for a bite? All humble respect for Hawaiian mythology aside, when it comes down to who takes home dinner, I will make sure I am the one leaving the water instead of becoming a Mano menu item.
However, since that experience with the white tip years ago, I personally chose to respect the Hawaiian mythology about the Mano and to never target them for trophy or food. I dont judge those who do. But that's just me and my choice. Equally, I have no problem ending the life of this apex hunter if me, my sons, my buddies, or any other human is in danger of being hurt or killed.
So based on my experiences witnessing this weird, unexplained behavior by sharks, I can fully believe Mark and his Great White encounter.
As far as the Aumakua thing, I wish I could find the article I read by a BI diver at pohoiki years ago. Brian Ayau, or one of the Lai's?...but it Was about an encounter with a tiger at pohoiki that displayed familiar characteristics and a benevolent demeanor leading him to ask if this was kupuna that was there as protection...or something like that. Respond with the source if you know it. I've been searching.
Just to go on record, I do not demean nor disrespect any one who chooses to hunt or shoot sharks. I have good friends that I respect and admire who choose differently than me. *That's cool. My opinion is just that; an opinion. So if my buddies stay reading this post, Plz bruddahs...no take offense! Jus label me lolo for my belief and lets get on with the Ho'olaule'a called life with friends! K'den...I pau going all Portagee!
Mahalo for allowing me to bore you with my thoughts. My layover is almost over!
Aloha