Monday, August 20, 2012

SHARK WEEK!

I love shark week. I will sit in front of the tv and watch
every.
single.
episode.

Okay, I don't but I would if I didn't have to work and do a hundred other things!

I have always been fascinated by sharks. I think it started years ago when we moved back to the states. My dad was stationed at Eglin so we moved to Fort Walton Beach Florida.
One day, I climbed on a raft and my older sister took me way, way out into the deep water.
Over my head, over her head, the whole NOT A GOOD IDEA TO BE OUT THIS FAR over our heads thing.

We were out there, enjoying the water when a shark cut the water about 5 feet from the raft. It wasn't large...like this guy. (he resides at the Aquarium of Americas in NOLA.)



But it was a shark nonetheless and we both freaked out. My sister promptly DUMPED my a** into the drink while she climbed up onto the raft to save herself.
The rest was just a blur of intense terror while I froze in the water before my sister slowly pulled me up onto the raft by her. Basically I think we were just too big, like I said the shark was small...about 4-5 feet long. Still scary as all get out though.

Each year I watch shark week and each year I remember that day....we tease my sister and we all laugh how she fed me to "Jaws" to save herself. Each year she says how awful she feels to have done that....all the while we are laughing so hard we are crying!

In 1975 JAWS came out and I was 15.....oh my gosh, I love that movie.
In my mind, it is still the best scary shark movie of all time. Just the music gives me the chills!

Cue music....


When they filmed JAWS 2, they posted for extras at our high school. All my friends wanted me to try out because I had long super curly hair like one of the actresses. There was NO WAY I would do that, just the thought of it gave me the creeps....but my sister a lot of my friends went and were in scenes from the movie.

Then in the mid 80's we had a school of hammerheads stay just off the beach for over 2 weeks. It was really unusual and was all over the news. All the beaches were closed.....but the piers were jam packed with people watching them. They are small fish eaters...but it was still really creepy watching hundreds of them school just a few feet below you.



In honor of this amazing animal, I made this cute little shark bag (filled with fish) for this month's toy drop:



see the fish? I used the same pattern I used for my fish garland on this post. I just used a larger hook.




And here is a terrific crocheted shark pouch you could do by moogly.

shark week pouch time free crochet pattern markers pencils child adult school


Have a great SHARK WEEK!

3 comments:

Lindsay-ann said...

Hi Val, it must be shark week here too as every day a different jaws movie has been shown! Oh poor you, I can't believe your sister. You must have been so scared. Love the cute shark bag you made.
Lindsay
x

Barb said...

Love shark week too. I even dvr'd a couple of the newer shows so I wouldn't miss them. Can't believe you had such a close encounter. Freaks me out just thinking about it. Grew up on Miami beach and while I know they were around I thankfully never saw one. At the aquarium I could watch them for hours. Love the shark bag. Too cute.

amy @ Life in Pink Hi-Tops said...

You poor thing--your sister feeding you to JAWS. Sounds like something my sister would do! Great shark bag and fishy.

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