Close encounters with sharks are exhilarating to say the very least, possibly because we know that the animal we are face to face with could, if they so wished, eat us for dinner. My encounters in the Similan islands off Phuket, Thailand with some of the most docile of sharks were no less of an experience! They seem calm but are they really? I went to find out!

Early Morning on the 6^th of April this year we were picked up at our hotel by the Scuba Cat dive team at 6:00 am. Needless to say I was half asleep! I am not much of a morning person! After a 3 hour boat ride and a nap we arrived at the Similans very excited. I had imagined and dreamed of encounters with the docile Leopard sharks for days before the trip.  I had encountered Great Whites, raggedtooth sharks among others but have never dive with a shark quite like this before. We boarded the MV Scuba Cat, had a delicious Thai-style lunch and were briefed by the divemaster. We then all congregated at the dive platform desperately wanting to get into the water. We set up our kit. That was the last time during the whole 4 days that we had to set our kit up as the dive crew took care of it for the rest of the trip. Thanks guys!

We plunged off the dive platform into the crystal clear blue water. I immediately switched on my camera and strobe in anticipation. After an admittedly amazing 30min dive on the pristine reef we had yet to catch a glimpse of this sleepy shark. We drifted over a ledge and my eyes locked onto the sand beneath me. Sarah, the owner of Scuba Cat, who had been diving with us signaled "shark". I exhaled deeply as quickly as possible and started to descend towards the sand. There it lay...still, quiet and most importantly RIGHT NEXT TO ME! I completely forgot I even had a camera. Dum, I realize that. I cannot explain the feeling I felt. Looking into the eye of the reef's great predator. Undeterred by my presence I watched the 2m shark closely for what seemed ages. I stared into its eyes as if I could hear it thoughts, of lunch no doubt. Looking at the patterning and the small eye, in front of its rounded pectoral fins. I was close enough to kiss it. Another diver came to inspect. The shark jolted. It made me jolt and it swam a couple of meters and stopped again to rest on the sandy bottom. I looked at my dive computer...time to go! I reluctantly left the shark on the bottom to hopefully mesmerize another diver that encountered it.

I came up from the dive and was helped up the ladder by one of the helpful boat crew. I run to my mother on the deck, wetsuit and all, and the only thing that came out of my mouth was "Leopard shark!" What an encounter. I spoke to Sarah after the dive and asked where else they had seen these fantastic sharks. Her response: "I cannot think of a single dive site that we haven't seen at least one shark on." I was amazed. This was only one of my encounters with the leopards on my trip.

My encounter before this was brief and gave me just a taste of what was to come. It was during a day trip to Shark Point in Phuket. I was doing a wall dive when I turned around and saw a 1,5m immature female leopard shark swimming close to the reef. She was close enough to see the bite marks on her strangely shaped tail from mating. Briskly she swam past, tempting me to follow but I could not leave my group to pursue her.

These encounters are different to most shark encounters as peaceful is not usually the sort of word associated with sharks. When my dives were over I had time to reflect on the experience and try to explain it to my mother. I went to the dive platform to pack up my gear but when I got there it had been taken care of even washed. I was so sad to leave behind the sharks that had stolen my heart and had been better than the encounters I had ever imagined.

A special thanks to Scuba Cat for Fantastic dives and the best service I have ever had. Go visit Scuba Cat in Phuket or visit www.scubacat.com for more information.