Read Online 03 Underwater Adventure by Willard Price - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Willard Price
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in.
A net was lowered until it lay a few feet below the surface. The turtle was manoeuvred over the net, and hoisted aboard.
Omo beamed, and everybody else cheered, except the sulky Skink.
‘I learn something new every day!’ exclaimed Dr Blake. ‘We think we’re so smart with all our modern gear, but we can take lessons from island boys who never saw a snorkel or an aqualung.’
Chapter 7
Are sharks dangerous?
The big mako shark had returned and lay just under the surface a few yards off the port beam.
‘Wish he’d go away,’ Blake said. ‘It’s a bit risky -doing any more diving while he’s around.’
‘He didn’t make trouble when Omo grabbed one of his remoras,’ Hal remarked.
‘Omo took him by surprise. But he came back. The way he keeps switching that tail, I think he’s a little annoyed with us. These mako can be man-eaters.’
‘I heard a lecturer say that all sharks are cowards,’ Hal said.
Blake laughed. ‘Perhaps he felt safe because he had a good solid platform under his feet and there were no sharks on the stage. And even if sharks were cowards, don’t forget that cowards are often bullies. Isn’t that true among humans? I know I’m more afraid of a coward than of a brave man.’
Hal thought of Skink, and nodded. Yes, Skink was a good example. He was to be feared in spite of the fact that he was a coward. He was to be feared because he was a coward.
‘But I wouldn’t agree that all sharks are cowards,’ went on Dr Blake. ‘When a shark is hungry enough or mad enough it will attack a whale ten times its own size. It will even try to fight a ship. There have been numerous instances of sharks plunging their teeth into a ship’s hull, sometimes even sinking the ship.’
‘I suppose some sharks are more dangerous than others.’
‘That’s it There are more kinds of sharks than of cats. And the man who says sharks aren’t dangerous has probably met only the mild sorts. Besides, even the dangerous kinds aren’t always dangerous. A shark that has just had a good dinner isn’t interested in picking a quarrel. A tiger shark is as gentle as a kitten when well fed and a holy terror when starving. And sharks have emotions, just like people. If you go near them when they happen to be in a bad mood, look out.’
Dr Blake ran his finger along the outline of an ugly scar on his right foot.
‘Another thing about sharks that makes them a lot like us,’ he said, ‘is that they make mistakes. I got that because a shark made a mistake. It saw my foot and thought it was a fish. Anything that flickers will attract a shark. That’s why the Loyalty Islanders tie a dark cloth over the soles of their feet when diving. The sole of the foot and the palm of the hand are generally brighter than the rest of the body. The shark can’t see too well, and it may snap at the small flashing thing without realizing that it is taking on more than it intended.’ Omo, who was listening, said: T don’t know why, but the place makes a difference. The sharks at Huahine never hurt anyone, but exactly the same kind of shark in the Tuamotus is a killer.’
‘Perhaps they have plenty to eat in the one place, not much in the other,’ Blake suggested. ‘Or perhaps the Huahine people taught the sharks to be afraid of man, and the Tuamotu islanders didn’t. Captain, what’s your opinion? Are sharks dangerous?’
Captain Ike screwed up his wrinkled face and clamped his teeth on the stem of his pipe.
‘I’ve known sharks for forty years,’ he said, ‘and the better I know ‘em the less I like ‘em. You can’t make friends with a shark. Last time I was in Australia they gave me some figures: sixty-nine people killed by sharks on that coast in thirty years, one hundred and five wounded, two boats sunk, thirteen boats attacked. ‘Fella down there caught one of those hammerheads that some people say are harmless. When he opened it up he found a human skull. Right over here at Ponape, next island to this
A net was lowered until it lay a few feet below the surface. The turtle was manoeuvred over the net, and hoisted aboard.
Omo beamed, and everybody else cheered, except the sulky Skink.
‘I learn something new every day!’ exclaimed Dr Blake. ‘We think we’re so smart with all our modern gear, but we can take lessons from island boys who never saw a snorkel or an aqualung.’
Chapter 7
Are sharks dangerous?
The big mako shark had returned and lay just under the surface a few yards off the port beam.
‘Wish he’d go away,’ Blake said. ‘It’s a bit risky -doing any more diving while he’s around.’
‘He didn’t make trouble when Omo grabbed one of his remoras,’ Hal remarked.
‘Omo took him by surprise. But he came back. The way he keeps switching that tail, I think he’s a little annoyed with us. These mako can be man-eaters.’
‘I heard a lecturer say that all sharks are cowards,’ Hal said.
Blake laughed. ‘Perhaps he felt safe because he had a good solid platform under his feet and there were no sharks on the stage. And even if sharks were cowards, don’t forget that cowards are often bullies. Isn’t that true among humans? I know I’m more afraid of a coward than of a brave man.’
Hal thought of Skink, and nodded. Yes, Skink was a good example. He was to be feared in spite of the fact that he was a coward. He was to be feared because he was a coward.
‘But I wouldn’t agree that all sharks are cowards,’ went on Dr Blake. ‘When a shark is hungry enough or mad enough it will attack a whale ten times its own size. It will even try to fight a ship. There have been numerous instances of sharks plunging their teeth into a ship’s hull, sometimes even sinking the ship.’
‘I suppose some sharks are more dangerous than others.’
‘That’s it There are more kinds of sharks than of cats. And the man who says sharks aren’t dangerous has probably met only the mild sorts. Besides, even the dangerous kinds aren’t always dangerous. A shark that has just had a good dinner isn’t interested in picking a quarrel. A tiger shark is as gentle as a kitten when well fed and a holy terror when starving. And sharks have emotions, just like people. If you go near them when they happen to be in a bad mood, look out.’
Dr Blake ran his finger along the outline of an ugly scar on his right foot.
‘Another thing about sharks that makes them a lot like us,’ he said, ‘is that they make mistakes. I got that because a shark made a mistake. It saw my foot and thought it was a fish. Anything that flickers will attract a shark. That’s why the Loyalty Islanders tie a dark cloth over the soles of their feet when diving. The sole of the foot and the palm of the hand are generally brighter than the rest of the body. The shark can’t see too well, and it may snap at the small flashing thing without realizing that it is taking on more than it intended.’ Omo, who was listening, said: T don’t know why, but the place makes a difference. The sharks at Huahine never hurt anyone, but exactly the same kind of shark in the Tuamotus is a killer.’
‘Perhaps they have plenty to eat in the one place, not much in the other,’ Blake suggested. ‘Or perhaps the Huahine people taught the sharks to be afraid of man, and the Tuamotu islanders didn’t. Captain, what’s your opinion? Are sharks dangerous?’
Captain Ike screwed up his wrinkled face and clamped his teeth on the stem of his pipe.
‘I’ve known sharks for forty years,’ he said, ‘and the better I know ‘em the less I like ‘em. You can’t make friends with a shark. Last time I was in Australia they gave me some figures: sixty-nine people killed by sharks on that coast in thirty years, one hundred and five wounded, two boats sunk, thirteen boats attacked. ‘Fella down there caught one of those hammerheads that some people say are harmless. When he opened it up he found a human skull. Right over here at Ponape, next island to this
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