Tiger sharks are one of the species most commonly involved in encounters with humans in Hawaii
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/tiger-shark-052326-8aa565f265a7456ea8686e32c12958f2.jpg "Diver with a juvenile tiger shark, Honokohau harbor, Hawaii, America, USA")
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NEED TO KNOW
- A Maui couple is recounting the harrowing moment they came face-to-face with a massive shark larger than their 12-foot kayak
- Cheslei Akima and Alika Dickerson said they were kayaking off the coast of Olowalu, located on Maui’s west side, on May 23 when they encountered a tiger shark
- Tiger sharks are one of the species most commonly involved in encounters with humans in Hawaii
A Maui couple is recounting the harrowing moment they came face-to-face with a massive shark larger than their kayak while out on the water.
Speaking to Hawaii News Now, Cheslei Akima and Alika Dickerson said they were kayaking off the coast of Olowalu, located on Maui's west side, on Saturday afternoon, May 23, when they encountered the shark.
Akima told the outlet that the pair were about a mile offshore when "all of a sudden, like 10 feet in front of the kayak, a fin sticks up."
"I'm thinking to myself, 'What is that?' And then it starts coming at us," she said.
According to the couple, the animal turned out to be a tiger shark — identifiable by its light gray stripes — and they estimated it was longer than their 12-foot kayak.
The shark then grabbed hold of their kayak and began "shaking" it around.
"He wouldn't let go,” Akima said.
Dickerson quickly struck the shark in an attempt to get it away from the kayak — but the first two hits didn't deter it.
"On the third time, it finally let go. It sank down a little bit and just splashed us with its tail, swimming away," he told the outlet. "I was in shock."
The pair quickly returned to shore, where they noticed that the shark had left bite marks on the kayak.
“It was just so crazy,” Akima said.
Although incidents of sharks biting humans in Hawaii are rare, with only about three to four incidents each year, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) states that tiger sharks are most often involved in dangerous encounters with humans out of all local shark species.
"Tigers are considered the most dangerous sharks in Hawaiian waters," the agency states. "Because of their size and feeding habits, tigers occupy the very top niche in inshore feeding relationships."
The species is found near all of the main Hawaiian islands and are often attracted to areas frequented by fishing boats, as they can trail fish remains and blood. Their diet is highly varied, and they have been known to eat fish, lobsters, birds, turtles, dead animals and even garbage.
"It’s not known why tiger sharks sometimes bite humans," the Hawaii DLNR explains, adding that researchers have theorized that these sharks may be trying to determine if a person is a potential prey item, or they may encounter humans while in "feeding mode."
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Researchers from the University of Hawaii have also found that Olowalu in particular is a mating hub for tiger sharks, according to Hawaii News Now.
As for Akima and Dickerson, the couple is encouraging any boaters and swimmers near Olowalu to be extremely cautious when it comes to shark encounters — but they haven't been deterred from the water themselves.
“Gotta get back," Dickerson said, as Akima added: "We’re actually determined to go back this weekend."
The DNLR advises anyone entering Hawaiian waters to follow some shark safety tips, including staying out of the water if you have any bleeding or open wounds, only swimming and surfing at beaches with lifeguards, avoiding murky waters or stream entrances, and staying out of the water at dawn, dusk and night.