I floated silently along the edge of the ledge. After only a few minutes, the schooling fish seemed to ignore me. Damsels and angelfish defended their territories in the rocks, while waves of Razor Surgeonfish (Prionurus laticlavius) streamed above and below. I was so distracted, at first I didn’t notice the visitor behind me.
The shark was about as long as me – six feet – and only about 20 feet away. It swerved casually along the rock ledge, with me now following behind. Its movements were graceful and effortless. I didn’t want to lose him, but I didn’t want to attract his attention either. I paralleled him for about half a minute before he slipped around the front of the rock outcrop.
The whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus) is among the most common in the Galapagos and, despite my cautiousness, its attitude toward people is usually one of curiosity. The shark is generally nocturnal, and during the day is often found nestled among rocks or in caves. So it was unusual to see it out and about.
The shark is native to the Galapagos waters but not endemic; in fact, it’s common across the Pacific.
