If you have ever watched videos of sharks in the wild, then you may know that they can be way scarier than Jaws. In order to catch seals (or maybe it’s sea lions), great white sharks will position itself underneath the seal. It will then swim straight up and launch itself 10 feet in the air, jaws viciously clamped around its unsuspecting victim. The week before we went to Key West, I was reminded of these facts because it was Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. There we were, some two days before we head to Key West, watching a documentary about a rash of shark attacks in Florida. We could never suspect that only five days later, we would be swimming with sharks.

This fateful dip in the ocean transpired on a sunny day a few miles off the coast of Key West. We went on an excursion with Danger Charters to go kayaking and snorkeling. First, we kayaked and then we snorkeled–snorkeled with the sharks. Jenny saw it out of the corner of her eye. She immediately pointed to get my attention. It hovered 8 feet below us. Then, all of a sudden, it was getting away. I had to make a quick decision, so I did what any loving, adventuresome husband would do. I abandoned my wife to follow the shark.

In my mind, I reviewed my strategy for slaying the shark were it to attack me. My strategy was simple: kill it without getting eaten. My chances of surviving such a battle soon decreased, however, as the shark led me to an even bigger one. Then there were two sharks (and a funny looking fish that may have been a grouper) resting by the coral. These beasts looked as dangerous as a chubby puppy sleeping in the shade. After a while I got bored and followed the funny looking fish around for a while.

No animals or people were harmed during these events.