I'm Back From Shark Infested Waters

Or that's what we were told last Thursday as Mike, Lea, Neil, and I walked down the path to State Beach on Martha's Vineyard. As we carried our beach towels and cooler, a nice woman discreetly broke the news to us. "There's a shark warning. You can only go up to your knees."

WHAT?! Having just made a day trip to Menemsha and talked at length about the Jaws movies, the timing was uncanny. As we walked by fish houses and meandered the roads of our Amityville, Lea asked how long Jaws was. Neil inquired on how he was killed. Mike even spoke about seeing the movie with his Dad in the theatre when he was eight years old. Pretty scary on a big screen, he said.

Sure enough, as we approached the oceans edge, practically no one was in the water. A few toddlers running in and out as mingling adults casually scanned the water. I couldn't help but smile as we broke the news to Lea and Neil. I mean when do you get to say, "There's been a shark sighting. We're not sure you can go swimming today ?"

In the end the kids took it like champs. Mike's knees are Neily's waist, so we still managed to still have fun.

Perhaps my fun was heightened when he police boat traveled by, in an effort to patrol the waters for more sharks? I couldn't help but go for a quick dip before our departure. When else could I do this? Plus, it was hot and I had experimented with every known alternative to swimming including sitting at the edge with my legs in, laying in the water with my legs fully immersed, floating my body around imagining where the water would be knee length, until I ditched my tank top and dove-in in my bikini.

Later on, we'd learn the sighting was a hoax. But still, it was a pretty cool day for the family Nolette.