"We must have all of the facts, and the histories; our uniquely human curiosity and equally human fears insist upon it," writes GORP's wildlife expert John Grassy.

Eden under the waves

Here are your choices: Close the door and jump in the cage that separates you from the infamous great white in the chilly waters off South Africa or South Australia. Or gaze up at the classic silhouette of swirling hammerheads in the waters of the Pacific. You can check out the locals in Thailand and the Caribbean—grays, black- and-white reef tips, and the gentle giants, whale sharks. Whether you suit up and take that plunge into a watery bowl of adrenaline-inducing encounters, or observe them in an aquarium, our ability to be part of the shark's world allows us to put them in context, as an integral part of the ocean's great chain of life.

And considering the bad rap sharks have gotten over the years, we owe it to them to deliver our apologies in person.