My journey with sharks began in the most unexpected way. One day, I saw Cristina Zenato on television, surrounded by Caribbean reef sharks, calmly interacting with them in a way I had never seen before. I was mesmerized. I had never imagined sharks could be so graceful, so calm, so beautiful. On a whim, I sent her a message, not expecting a reply. After all, she was world-famous. To my absolute surprise, Cristina wrote back. Not only that, she sent me the kindest, most encouraging message and continued to stay in touch.

Cristina’s generosity didn’t end there. She patiently answered all my questions about sharks, shared her knowledge and passion, and then did something I will never forget: she invited me to come swim with her and her sharks. I couldn’t believe it. That was in 2007. Two years later, in 2009, I was in The Bahamas, visiting her. Cristina welcomed me into her home and gave me one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. She introduced me to her world, and when I finally got in the water with the sharks, I was overwhelmed with happiness and awe. It was the coolest thing I had ever done. That first dive changed everything. It was in that moment that I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to understanding and protecting these misunderstood animals.

Cristina also pointed me toward the Bimini Biological Field Station (the Shark Lab) a place that would become fundamental in my career. Thanks to her guidance, I spent seven months at the lab, working on a research project about the effects of coastal development on the movement of juvenile lemon sharks. Although my research focused on lemon sharks, one of my absolute favorite activities at the lab was something we called “the shark dive”, a monthly snorkeling session with Caribbean reef sharks. Floating above them in their natural habitat, observing their behavior from the surface, was thrilling and deeply moving. I looked forward to it every single month. The reef sharks quickly became one of my favorite species.

Over the years, I’ve had the chance to see Caribbean reef sharks in many different places, from diving with Stuart Cove in Nassau, to spotting them in Turks and Caicos and Belize. And now, in my home of Sint Maarten, we see them all the time. At SXM Divers, we’re lucky to witness their presence year-round. My husband Daniel and I even developed a dedicated shark dive at a secret location we’ve carefully chosen. It’s a wide, sandy bottom at 55 feet, away from coral and tourist traffic, perfect for offering respectful, close encounters. We’ll be revealing it to the public very soon.

Cristina’s mentorship opened the door to all of this. She not only gave me my first shark experience, she believed in me, encouraged me, and helped me find my path. I am deeply grateful to her. Her kindness and passion for sharks changed my life, and it’s because of her that I now work every day to give others the same sense of awe and respect for these incredible animals.