Facebook/Ocean Ramsey Ocean Ramsey pictured on her Facebook page.
Ocean Ramsey, an Hawaii-based shark conservationist and model, may have discovered the largest great white shark known to man. The images of Ramsey alongside the shark, suspected to be Deep Blue, a shark featured on the Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week,” were first posted to her Instagram page on January 15. On January 18, Ramsey appeared on “Today” to allay fears about her safety.
Ramsey told the morning show that sharks, like the massive 20 foot long and 8-foot wide one she was swimming with, “swim past surfers, swimmers, and divers all day every day.” Ramsey added, “It’s so rare that they ever make a mistake.” The shark was spotted close to a dead sperm whale that it may have been feeding on, reports the Associated Press.
Ramsey added that she and her team were studying tiger sharks in Oahu when they encountered the great white. She said, “We never would have imagined we would be fortunate enough to be graced with the presence of this massive, big beautiful, female white shark. It fills my heart with joy and takes my breath away… It kind of breaks my heart at that same time to be honest. Moments like this are increasingly rare because shark populations are being wiped out for shark fin soup and shark finning.” Ramsey also thought that that the shark might pregnant with a baby shark.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Giant Shark Encounter Was Recorded by Ramsey’s Business Partner & Fiance Juan Oliphant
The videos of Ramsey swimming next to the shark was recorded by her business partner and fiance, Juan Oliphant. When asked about whether or not the shark was the world’s largest, Oliphant told the AP, “She looks the part right now. Maybe even more exciting that there is another massive, you know, super-size great white shark out there. Because their populations are so dwindling.” On her LinkedIn page, Ramsey describes herself as a “marine biologist, shark conservationist, ethologist, scuba instructor, owner: WaterInspired.org & OneOceanDiving.com.”
The couple operates One Ocean Diving and Research in Oahu. One of the couple’s causes is a bill to ban the killing of marine life such as sharks and rays. Ramsey’s business brings people out on non-cage shark dives but they also warn that people should not just jump in the water with sharks whenever they see them.
2. This Isn’t the 1st Time that Ramsey Has Gone Viral
Ramsey last went viral in February 2013 when her fearless shark diving was featured in a promotional video for GoPro. At the height of her fame then, Ramsey told the Huffington Post that she has been swimming with sharks since she was 14 years old.
In her original viral video, Ramsey said, “It’s really hard to describe what it’s like to actually have a great white swimming towards you or next to you. It’s really breathtaking. They are really cautious and calculated. You know, it’s misunderstood and misconstrued as these ravenous mindless man-eating machines.” In an interview on Red Bull’s website, Ramsey said, “By swimming with these sharks we are able to show we can co-exist and that they are not going to eat you.”
3. Ramsey Said in 2017 That Her Modelling Career Takes a Backseat to Her Shark Conservation Work
Ramsey told Maxim in a February 2017 interview that she “did a lot of modeling” in her 20s. These days, she still has an agent but Ramsey said that she is normally out on boats doing shark conservation work when she gets calls about modeling. Ramsey added, “I hope that if any of my talents, features, or natural gifts can be used to better highlight the message I am trying to share.”
During the same interview, Ramsey said that it was her parents’ love of the ocean that led to her career choice and decision to get a degree in marine biology. Ramsey says that she specifically studied animal behavior and shark body language.
4. Ramsey Is Using Her Fame to Highlight the Real Killer, Plastic
Ramsey is using her fame, generated from her diving activities, to highlight the real killer in the ocean, plastic. In an Instagram post, Ramsey said, “Plastic Is The REAL killer! Thrilled to get some positive shark press out there and the opportunity to reach so many people around the world with a much-needed message of conservation for sharks.”
5. Ramsey Says She Would Love to Get Donald Trump to Come Out & Swim With Sharks
GettyStormy Daniels was the first person speak about Trump’s fear of sharks.
In 2018, when Stormy Daniels came forward with the details of her affair with President Donald Trump. One of the subjects she spoke about was Trump’s fear of sharks. During one rendezvous in Los Angeles, Daniels told In Touch Weekly, “He is obsessed with sharks. Terrified of sharks. He was like, “I donate to all these charities and I would never donate to any charity that helps sharks. I hope all the sharks die.” He was like riveted. He was like obsessed. It’s so strange, I know.”
When Ramsey heard about Trump’s fears, she tweeted, “I am shocked to just find out about this. I would love to get @realDonaldTrump out to help him overcome his fear and fall in love with sharks.”
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