August 2018, Maldives. During the classic night dive at Alimathà, a curious incident happened to me.
I was underwater with my GoPro 7, filming some nurse sharks. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a fast movement: a Blacktip Reef Shark was heading straight for me at high speed.
On instinct, I turned the camera in its direction. A moment later, it bumped right into me, lightly hitting the GoPro. Nothing serious, but it was enough to leave me completely stunned. The animal immediately swam away.
It was the first time I’d had physical contact with a shark, as I have always approached them with the proper respect.
Speaking with a marine biologist later, I understood the dynamic. The shark wasn’t being aggressive, just curious: it was most likely attracted by the light’s reflection on the lens, mistook it for a fish, and came to “check it out” with a little head-butt.
A logical explanation for a definitely out-of-the-ordinary experience. Below is the video of the exact moment.