Go Big

It is a phrase I love. If you do anything… do it big. Don’t hold back. My friend Roger always uses it, and I think it has become my new mantra. I thought of it today when I got a note from him asking if I wanted to be in a piece (on shark conservation) for German Playboy. But he, and that, are stories for another day.

Fearless is often a word used to describe me. Which actually surprised me in the beginning, because I am afraid of a lot. But, I have come to realize that it is not used to describe me because I dive with sharks, am not terrified of bugs (well ok, maybe those ones with pinchers on their butts just a little), or love snakes. I think it is used because I go big. I approach just about everything in life with enthusiasm and what may be considered by some to be irrational exuberance. But, I prefer to call it a passion for life. I don’t let anything stop me… I crazily will do and try just about anything. I am totally obsessed and try to become great at everything I do, throwing myself completely into whatever the task at hand is. I am irreverent. I love excitement and a little bit of dare.

And, so I guess that is fearless.

Today, after spending three days with my father in Sarasota, watching this 62 year old man whipping around, weaving in and out of the wake on his slalom waterski like a 20 year old, drag-racing cigarette boats with our supercharged waverunner and leaving them in the dust as I clung on for dear life, and laughing hysterically as he almost sank the jetski jumping eight foot waves in Sarasota Bay, I realized where I get it from. (I must admit, I was laughing too… there is nothing better than that moment of “Oh Sh*t. When the heck are we going to land?!?” followed by the rewarding plunge and wall of water once you hit.) And, my heart smiled as I was reminded once again how crazy I am for my dad.

So the Andersen gene is a fearless one. My brother Bruce is a race car driver who is also an instructor for Lotus. My father, well, he is a race car driver, sailor, diver, world-traveler, you name it. Now he wants to windsurf too. My poor mom. Fortunately, what I do is statistically the least dangerous, so I am the focus of the least amount of attention. You should see her friends' eyes widen when she talks about her kids… then they share their condolences.

My dad is the one who taught me how to dive. After he got certified, within a year’s time, my whole family got certified (first me, then my brother, then my mom.) It became a way for an adult family to share something special, and we traveled the world together – Belize, Thailand, Burma, Hawaii, Tahiti – exploring the ocean. I still try to go on at least one trip a year with my dad - it has become a special way for us to spend time together. The last time we went on a trip together, it was to Cocos Island. Magical.

I am in Sarasota to spend some serious quality time with Dad, who I never get to see. He works in Florida so it isn’t often that we get this kind of luxury. We spent the weekend playing on the water, with me completely obsessed on conquering something I have had at the top of my list of things I am desperate to accomplish - since I was eight years old and saw my cousins excel at it… Yes, I have always wanted to slalom waterski. So, I spent the weekend tirelessly smacking the living daylights out of myself smashing into the water time and time again until I FINALLY DID IT. And, now, I am totally rocking it outside the wake, cutting in and out, jumping waves, GOING BIG. Though I feel like I have been put thru a meat grinder, I am riding high as I add Slalom Waterskier proudly to my resume. Take that cousin Beth and Jeannie!

And when Dad got the skiing rope sucked up into the waverunner (note HE did it, not ME), I had the chance to conquer my biggest fear IN THE WORLD. I had to touch a muddy, slimy seaweed-y bottom with my bare feet. Yes, this Shark Angel is terrified of murky, oozy mud and creepy crawly grass on bottoms you just can't see as they wrap sinisterly around your ankles. I have NEVER been able to touch that stuff - it is the stuff my nightmares are made of. Dad had absolutely no patience for my girl-y squeals and what bordered on a panic attack, snarling "This from a girl who dives with sharks."

After a large piece of seaweed entwined itself all the way up to my knee like some sort of evil creature pulling me deep into the mud probably to tear me limb from limb as I suffocate in the slime, I scrambled back onto the Waverunner and told Dad to call Sea Tow. There is NO WAY I am going that big.

Well, I guess this Shark Girl isn't completely fearless.

Becomming a Shark Angel

So, everyone always wants to know... why sharks?

I grew up in the water… I was the kid who was always swimming in a lake, river or stream, eagerly peering to the bottom to have a chance encounter with some sort of marine life! I would catch guppies and put them in jars as my pets, obsessed with all things aquatic. I come from a long line of "mermaids" – some of my favorite childhood memories revolve around my grandfather and father spending an afternoon swimming in the lake near our house.

And, I have been obsessed with sharks since I was a kid. They have always held a sense of magic for me. When I started diving, I remember the thrill of my first Black Tip Reef shark sighting. A dive wasn't a success unless I saw at least one shark! I have such an amazing appreciation and admiration for sharks, and I learned very, very early on that they were far more afraid of me than I was of them. Shark sightings were something to be cherished – not dreaded.

I have been diving with the Hammerheads in Cocos, the Black Tips in Fiji, the Leopards in Thailand, the Tigers in the Bahamas, the Whites in South Africa and the Silver Tips in Tahiti. And in that time, I have sadly witnessed my cherished creatures disappear.

When I think about what is going on with sharks, I want to scream and run through the streets shaking everyone and telling them that we are letting one of our most precious resources slip through our fingertips. Such majestic, beautiful creatures don't deserve to be slaughtered – especially for a pathetic, social climbing soup. And, their role in our most important ecosystem is of the utmost importance. The oceans' supply much of the food we eat and air we breathe. Sharks sit atop of that food chain and keep our oceans, our very life support systems, healthy. What would our world be like without sharks? I for one do not want to find out.

I have been a passionate and long time shark activist - and about a year and a half ago, realized that I had to do more. I came together with a group of five other people after organizing a campaign to Ban Sharkfin Soup in New York City. As divers, lovers of the environment, and admirers of the ocean, we had personally witnessed the devastation of everything we hold sacred – including our precious sharks. And, when we wanted to do something, we realized that it wasn't as easy as it should be. Learning about sharks, educating others, developing tools to build awareness and choosing the right things to focus on in order to make a difference were all cumbersome and challenging. And, there was no clear, globalized movement to join. We thought there should be. And thus, Shark Savers was born. I am now the Director of Strategy & Outreach for Shark Savers. Much of what I do involves using my marketing and PR skills towards a positive image campaign for sharks while speaking on their behalf at events, schools, and even charitable events. I also do a considerable amount of education and of course, development.

Realizing the importance media plays in influencing our collective mindset, I have also become heavily involved in productions that involve sharks - in a positive light. A year ago, I began spearheading marketing and PR initiatives for the movie, Sharkwater. I worked closely with Rob Stewart to roll the movie out here in the states, build awareness and garner support – as Sharkwater is one of the best conservation tools we have. I now work in marketing & development in a broader role for the production company as well.

And, six months ago, I still wanted to do more. After meeting Kim McCoy from Sea Shepherd and Alison Kock from Save Our Seas, Shark Angels was born. Shark Angels is a movement that is being kicked off by a documentary about three female shark conservationists, a scientist, an activist, and an enforcer, partnering together to show people the truth about sharks – that they are not ruthless maneaters, but instead magnificent creatures to be protected – and cherished. In the production, I played the role of writer, co-producer, and of course, Shark Angel. The documentary is in post-production and is set to launch in the Summer of 2008. More than anything else, we want to unite the public around a new view of sharks – and bring attention to their plight.

I am motivated at the core by a passion to save sharks - and try to stay away from the drama and politics that sometimes surrounds that. I truly believe that there is so much strength in working together - and if we can't come together, strengthen our approach, and work together to combat this madness, we could lose our sharks, and soon after that, our oceans. I desperately want everyone to be aware of this situation – to join the fight. I have now essentially committed my every waking moment of passion to efforts that fuel that goal… I have no idea how this will manifest itself, but I have finally decided to follow my passion, in the hopes that great things will happen and I may save a few sharks...