Swimming With The ‘Shark’

2-13pm

It’s not often that I go to the beach without Mike, but this morning was that rare occasion. I just felt like getting out on this beautiful summer’s morning and doing a bit of exercise. I drove up to the beach and the first thing I notice was that the black shark flag (meaning shark spotting visibility is poor) was blowing freshly in the wind. I remember thinking, ‘ah, it’s windier than at home.’ I didn’t look at the flag again and went about my normal routine of taking a photo of the rising sun and then locking my cell phone away…

Before going for a swim, I did a bit of exercise. When my knees started complaining, I walked into the sea and plunged into the cold (but not as cold as Sunday) water. My deal is that when I’m lying on my back in the water, I have to be able to touch the seabed, so I’m seldom very deep. With the tide coming in, I constantly had waves breaking over me, so swimming didn’t really happen this morning. I hung around in the shallows for ten minutes and then I got out. After a shower, I sat in the early sun and enjoyed the view. It was then that I glanced towards the flag and saw that the shark flag was flying. That’s the white one with a black shark…

 I was surprised! There had been no siren and all the regulars were meandering towards the sea to have their routine morning dip. I spoke to the lady who was at the next bench; “Oh,” she said, keen to share information, “the beach has been closed since yesterday. They saw a shark really close in and took a photo. I’m not going to swim this morning!” Maybe I didn’t notice that the flag flying earlier was actually the shark one. It was only when I got home that I started seeing on Facebook a number of comments regarding the suspicious marine activity. It certainly looked like a fin…Photo from https://www.facebook.com/SharkSpotters?fref=ts

But it turned out to be a small whale. Someone on Facebook described it as a pygmy whale…

Photo from https://www.facebook.com/SharkSpotters?fref=ts

If I had seen that in the water, trust me, I would have freaked out. It just looks wayyy too ‘shark-like’ and I, like the lady at the other bench, don’t want to take any chances. So I’ll keep my rule of not being more than knee deep when it comes to swimming outside of shark net time. The shark-spotters are doing a sterling job in the Cape…

You may want to like their Facebook Page!

We often go through life ruled by fear. Fear of shark attacks, of terrorist attacks, burglaries, car crashes, plane crashes, financial disasters, ill health – there’s a pretty long list of what sparks fear in our minds. Fear is real. There’s one place to take all your fears and anxieties…

Psalm 34:4

“I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” 

Ask the Lord to deliver you from your fear.

Keep the smile going!

God bless you!

In His Grip,

Helga xx 🙂