Couple Rescues Baby Shark During Scuba Dive in Rhode Island
Deb and Steve Dauphinais, hailing from Glastonbury, Connecticut, embarked on a scuba diving adventure off the coast of Jamestown, Rhode Island, little knowing it would evolve into a mission to save a tiny, stranded shark.
As they explored the sand flats beneath the water’s surface, Ms. Dauphinais, an experienced dive instructor, made an unexpected discovery. There, in about 35 feet of water, she spotted a 16-inch juvenile shark with its head firmly trapped inside a discarded work glove.
Initially, Ms. Dauphinais assumed the shark was lifeless. However, to their amazement, it exhibited signs of life as it twitched. She signaled for her husband to join her in the effort.
With a sense of caution, Mr. Dauphinais approached the young shark. He carefully attempted to free it from the glove, which seemed to be suctioned to the shark’s head. After a bit of effort, the glove finally released its grip.
Despite the shark being a juvenile dogfish shark, which typically poses no threat to humans, the couple exercised caution during the rescue, mindful of the possibility of a sudden snap.
Ms. Dauphinais shared her observations, saying, “It kind of looked at both of us, showed no signs of injury, regained its balance, and then gracefully swam off to its natural habitat.”
Ms. Dauphinais, with nearly three decades of diving experience, revealed that this wasn’t her first encounter with rescuing distressed marine animals. In the past, she had successfully freed a black sea bass ensnared by an abandoned fishing line.
She underscored the significance of this issue, stating, “There are numerous accounts of marine creatures falling victim to underwater debris—a cause that deeply concerns me. These incidents reflect an ongoing problem. However, these instances represent the only occasions where I’ve been fortunate enough to save a creature, a shark in this case.”
In this heartwarming tale, a simple scuba diving expedition turned into a remarkable act of kindness as the Dauphinais couple came to the aid of a stranded baby shark, underscoring the importance of safeguarding our oceans and its inhabitants.