Video of a South Texas man taming sharks in the ocean is making rounds on the internet.
When Eli Martinez isn’t swimming with sharks, he’s patiently chasing other predators.
“Today, we’re after this bobcat,” said Martinez, who’s spotted the same bobcat at the Bentsen State Park in Mission three times in his last 30 or trips. “It’s not every day that we get to see him. With wildlife, it’s just hurry up and wait.”
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Patienceisavirtuethat’spaidforMartinez.VideosofhimtamingtigersharksintheBahamashavebeenwatchedthousandsoftimesonline.
Swimming with sharks is the 47-year-old’s favorite thing to do. The first time he ever did it was 20 years ago when he discovered that there’s more to these animals than meets the eye.
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“Once I put the camera down and started playing with these animals, you know, it’s when I found out everything that we thought we knew about sharks is wrong,” Martinez recalled.
Martinez says that he’s not trying to defy the animals, but rather understand them.
“It’s not fear, it’s respect,” he said.
Through his own magazine, online blogs, and excursions, he is out to prove to the world that predators in the wild are misunderstood; including the bobcat.
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“Thisanimalwantsnothingtodowithus.Imean,mostofthetimewhenitseesaperson,theyrun,theyscatter,theytakeoffandtheyhide.It’sthesamethingwithsharks,”heexplained.
If there’s anyone he wants to make sure understands his message, it’s his children.
“When you bring them out here and you see that they enjoy it as much as you do or even more, there’s no greater thing in the world. I love it,” Martinez said.
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Martinez says that he’s never been attacked by the animals that he observes. He says that he’ll dive with the sharks again in March.