The above photo circulated the internet many (?) years ago and it stunned and fascinated me when I first saw it. After a little research over at snopes.com I was relieved to learn that the sea creature is a dolphin and not a shark! But, Oh what a picture! What gives me chills is that at first glance I thought it was a shark. I was not alone in that assessment. Then there is the size of the dolphin (9-10 ft.?) compared to the size and proximity of the surfer. Look closely at the dorsal fin, it's curved and the tail fin is horizontal rather than vertical, characteristic of dolphins and porpoises.
My family moved to Florida when I was in my early teens, and for a short time we lived in Indiatlantic, at a condo right on the beach. I remember swimming alone in the ocean one day, chest deep in the water. I was facing the horizon, when in front of me and a little to the right a dorsal fin cut through the surface o the ocean. It was about 10 feet away from me. I froze. The adrenalin coursed through my body but I could not move. I was so relieved when the body beneath the dorsal fin curved into a hump and I realized it was a dolphin. Still, being that close to something wild and that big, frightened me. I'll never forget it.
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