mermaid.kayleigh

I have truly appreciated & loved the moments I’ve gotten to spend with sting rays. The late & great Steve Irwin would never want us to fear these amazing creatures! They have a vital role in the ocean’s ecosystems as bottom dwellers & are very rarely dangerous. Have you ever gotten to meet a sting ray? 💙🌊🛸 #stingray #ocean #diving #snorkeling #belize #savestingrays

I haven’t forgotten about moon & I don’t want you to either. She traveled over 3,000 miles using only her pectoral fins as a result of a tragic ship strike. Ship strikes are a huge issue for whales & thousands of them occur each year. She is a representation of the perseverance of nature despite humanity’s impact. Hopefully, one day, we can learn to coexist more peacefully. 🐋🙏🏼💙 #whales #humpbackwhale #ocean #shipstrike #savethewhales

Would you swim here? 😳 #thalassaphobia #murkywater #ocean #greenwater #deepsea #openocean

These beauties should start showing up soon & we couldn’t be more excited! Scalloped hammerheads migrate up our coastline in Kona anywhere from January- June but the sightings are totally random & sporadic. We haven’t seen large schools yet but we are on the edge of our seats!! @KaimanaOceanSafari 🔨🦈 #hammerhead #scallopedhammerhead #kona #hawaii #sharkdiving #savesharks #sharkdiver #ocean #kailuakona

Swimming with Marlin is 100% more intimidating than swimming with sharks! They behave so much more erratic & swim at higher speeds! It was vital when observing a bait ball to not let the bait try to use you as protection. Would you ever do this? 🐟🤺 #marlin #fish #baitball #ocean #snorkeling #diving #magbay #mexico

No one piece of trash is too small to pick up on the beach or in the ocean. Every little bit helps to make an impact! You can also reduce your use of single use plastic by using reusable water bottles and bags! On big island where I live, plastic bags are banned & people need to bring their own or use paper. I hope more places around the globe implement laws like this for businesses & that large corporations find alternatives to plastic like using plant based materials. ♻️🗑️💙 #marinedebris #plasticpollution #ocean #cleanuptheocean #hawaii

Did you expect them to be so fast!? I was honestly shocked this GT didn’t scratch my camera. These large predatory fish are known for their aggression & even hunt sea birds! So it’s no wonder it took a shot at my camera! 😳 #gianttrevally #aitutaki #cookislands #fish #snorkeling

Did you know if you see a shark in the ocean it’s important to act like a predator? Sharks prefer easy prey that’s often dead, dying, or weak. Splashing or panicking could imitate that easy prey. Instead you should stand your ground, make eye contact, stay calm, & push the shark away and downward if you need to. 🦈 #tigershark #ocean #sharkdiving #savesharks #sharkdiver #diving

This curious tiger shark is showing off her powerful jaw which has a bite force of approximately 1,000 pounds per square inch (psi). This is one of the strongest bites among shark species, but it is still less than the bite force of a great white shark, which can exceed 4,000 psi. This paired with their serrated teeth allow tiger sharks to bite through harder materials like a sea turtles shell. Don’t dive with sharks without a trained professional. #tigershark #savesharks #sharkdiver #sharkdiving #ocean

Always finding my way back to moments that I cherish with sharks. 🦈💙 #savesharks #sharkdiver #sharkdiving #tigershark #ocean #diving #Hozier

By no means am I a perfect shark diver who’s never made a mistake. But kissing a tiger shark & purposely putting your face this close to a huge sharks mouth is just too negligent. As stewards for these amazing predators we need to treat them with respect as a wild animal. It’s important to show their beauty yes, but interact with them in a way that also shows their capabilities. Shark diving is an absolutely amazing activity that has proven to save sharks by replacing fishing them with tourism all around the world. But it needs to be done safely because they are potentially dangerous at any moment. If you want to dive with sharks please look around continuously, make eye contact with the shark, don’t splash or panic, wear a mask fins and snorkel, and go with trained professionals who have safety rules in place to keep you as safe as possible when in an unpredictable and uncontrollable environment. I hope we can all learn from this to do better as shark divers & ambassadors to sharks. 🦈🤙🏼 #tigershark #savesharks #predators #sharkdiving #sharksafety

Sharks are wild animals running on instincts so disturbing the surface of the water may imitate struggling or dying prey which would be an easy target for these skilled hunters. 🦈⚡️Video by @andriana_marine #savesharks #hawaii #tigershark #ocean #sharkdiving #sharkdiver

Roxy hasn’t been seen in years & with every passing Tiger season without her, the realization of her likely end sinks in. Sharks are wild animals & apex predators that are not affectionate or domesticated but they do have different demeanors. Roxy was a more gentle shark who represented natures perseverance through the negative human impacts she endured. Her broken jaw was likely cause by a fishing incident & I’ve seen her entangled with nets & other gear. Despite that she’s pushed on but I wouldn’t be surprised if a man made threat caused her passing. Though the sharks aren’t like our pets at home, we still become attached & I still try to hold onto hope that she’ll come back. 💙🦈🙏🏼 Roxy videos by @Saveliy Mankovskiy #roxythetigershark #savesharks #sharkdiver #sharkdiving #tigershark #ocean

My favorite humpback whale encounter to date @KaimanaOceanSafari!! 🐋🥰 Such an incredible moment when a whale chooses to interact with you! I can’t wait to travel to Tonga to swim with them soon. DM me for details if you want to snag one of the last spots! In water shots by @Elizabeth Morri Sides ✨ #humpbackwhales #whales #whalewatch #kona #hawaii #kailuakona #mugged

#ad The @insta360_official X4 is a great tool at capturing the shot while allowing me to stay in the moment & focus on safety rather than framing, especially, in the moments that require my full attention! 🦈💙 Grab my code INRME6L and enjoy 15% off for Insta360 X4! 📸 #insta360 #insta360diving #tigershark #sharkdiving #sharkdiver #savesharks

Have you heard of this natural response from a shark when it’s flipped upside down? Tonic immobility is used in nature and science to relax the shark. 🦈💙 #tonicimmobility #savesharks #sharkdiver #sharkdiving #diving #tigershark

When she turns it on ⚡️ #sharkdiving #tigershark #savesharks #sharkdiver #diving #ocean

A glimpse into what it looks like to be lost at sea! 😳 It’s such a big ocean so it’s important to follow safety rules and guidelines when out at sea! Always dive or swim with a buddy or group, check your gear is functioning properly, avoid strong currents, stick to the dive plan & more! Video by @Elizabeth Morri Sides #thalassophobia #dive #ocean #deepsea #openocean

No better job in the world 🥰🦈💙 #sharkdiving #savesharks #sharkdiver #ocean #tigershark

Sharks are not puppy dogs, they are wild animals & apex predators. Our goal isnt to make people want to cuddle a shark & eliminate their fear of them entirely, but for people to love them for what they are, ecologically important predators that are not out to get us. Sharks don’t naturally look at humans as prey but if we put ourselves in their territory we need to understand that we do take a risk with a wild animal. Most shark divers understand this & i hope sharing some wild moments helps someone stay safe if they find themselves in this situation. People have different ways of handling the situation if a shark opens its mouth, but if i know if my hand is in a safe place I’ll keep it there until the shark turns. Behavior like this is way more rare. 🦈⚡️ #tigershark #sharkdiver #sharkdiving #ocean #savesharks #dancemusic