I have a recurring nightmare; it’s not about vampires and ghosts, but of something that is closer to reality. I find myself in the middle of the ocean on a sailboat, enjoying a warm breeze. I am standing with my arms wide open, face tilted toward the sun, enjoying the clear day.  I look over the side of the boat at the sapphire water hoping to catch a glimpse of a turtle or dolphin. Instead, a large shadow swims out from under the boat and immediately my heart starts beating rapidly and I find it hard to swallow. I know this shadow, it is no stranger to my nightmares; it is a shark.  The shadow returns, but this time it bumps my sailboat and sends me slipping and sliding over the side. I am holding myself above the water by just a skinny rope, legs flailing trying to get some footing to pull myself up. The shark is swimming by faster and faster waiting for me to just let go. I scream, but there is no one around to hear me. As my hands get tired of holding me and I begin to inch lower and lower toward the water, I look down and see teeth. That is around the time of the nightmare I wake up in a sweat; heart pounding.

 Although I have written about sharks before, I have never shared my innate fear that haunts me in the dark when no one is around.  Don’t get me wrong, I love these creatures and they are an apex predator, keeping our ecosystems healthy. But still, I am afraid. The best way I know to overcome fear is to face it head on and to educate myself. I did just that. I recruited my whole ­family to participate in a special treat, a new program offered by the Florida Aquarium—Shark Feeding.  Those brave enough to take on the task of feeding the shark get a ­behind-the-scenes look at a day in the life of a shark biologist.

We started out in the food preparation area, or the commissary as it is called at the aquarium. This is where all of the food magic happens. We donned our plastic aprons and rubber gloves, ready to stuff dead fish with vitamins for our hungry shark friends waiting for our arrival. We lined up and popped the pills into the gill area of the herring (the species of fish the sharks would be fed). Once the pill entered, we pushed the pill down toward the belly so it would stay and be guaranteed to make it into the shark’s belly. How funny, sharks getting vitamins? Our guide explained that the vitamins help keep the sharks healthy, giving them extra help with digestion.

After we completed the task of stuffing the fish, we cleaned up our work area and put the shark food on ice. Ben washed the work area, my mom sprayed it down; Jason got to squeegee the work table area while Becky did the floor. The area sparkled and smelled like bleach; mission accomplished.  Now to the tank and into the harness—HARNESS?

Volunteers ice down the food to keep it fresh.

Members of Karey’s family stuffs herring with vitamins for the sharks.

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