This is the breathtaking moment a diver came face-to-face with a large blue shark — before it appeared to give him a kiss.
Marine Scientist Kevin Schmidt was leading an expedition off the coast of Cape Town last weekend when the incredible encounter occurred 19 feet below the surface.
In extraordinary video captured by a British photographer, the curious creature can be seen gracefully approaching the diver before nibbling at his goggles.
According to Schmidt, the shark was showing no sign of aggression and simply using its electro-receptors located around its mouth to figure out what he was.
Schmidt, who works as an environmental consultant in Cape Town, says staring into the mouth of the shark was a moment to “treasure forever.”
“On this particular trip, we were located 21 miles southwest of Cape Point where we hovered in 19 feet of water for over an hour with four blue sharks and three mako sharks,” he said.
“Sharks, in general, are portrayed in such a negative light which does not reflect their true demeanor. Sensationalism portrays violence and power which overshadows the grace and beauty these creatures possess.
“By ignoring Hollywood instincts, you can feel their presence in the water and it truly evokes the opposite of fear. Excitement, wonder and curiosity — which is clearly mirrored by them in this picture.
“If you see a shark, consider yourself lucky and treasure the moment forever.”
The footage was shared on Instagram by photographer Steve Woods, who works in marine conservation, where it has been viewed over 20,000 times.
Woods, originally from Birmingham, wrote: “A little blue kiss.”
“Sharks are very inquisitive, the need to touch and feel with their mouths, especially due to their Electro-receptors that are located in little pits around their mouths.
“There is absolutely no aggression here and if you just understand what the shark is doing and keep your cool, then you might be lucky enough to get a little kiss.”
