Pemberton Press

Featuring Helen Mosse and Jane Forsyth as they meet Fiji’s famous Tiger sharks for the first time. Filmed and edited by Andrew Forsyth with generous support from the Beqa Lagoon Resort crew. Additional images provided by Nix Cagilaba, Matt Dowse and Neil Vincent. 18 Mins duration.

In Homer’s Odyssey, the Sirens were creatures of haunting beauty—part woman, part bird—who perched on rocky shores surrounded by the bleached bones of sailors. Their voices were so beautiful and their promised knowledge so alluring that no mortal could resist. Ships would crash against the rocks as men threw themselves into the sea, drawn by songs that offered to reveal all the secrets of the world.

Like Odysseus drawn to forbidden waters, Helen Mosse found herself facing an invitation she never expected: “Let’s do the diving package.” What began as a casual family holiday in Fiji would become something far more profound.

“I treasure people that come to us and say, I’m nervous, but I want to do it,” Dive Manager, Brandon Paige explains, understanding the pull of the unknown that draws travellers to confront their deepest fears.

“Everyone’s scared of sharks,” Neil acknowledges, yet something compels these visitors to descend where apex predators glide through the depths. Helen’s journey begins with struggle—fighting her BCD as other divers disappear past her, experiencing that universal moment when fear threatens to overwhelm purpose.

“I started panic mode,” she recalls. The massive shark swimming past only amplifies the terror. “I kicked like crazy to get myself to the bottom” .

What Helen discovers below transforms everything. “Everything is moving in slow motion. It’s not like what you see in the movies,” Dive Instructor, KB observes. “Everything is controlled. When we do our shark diving, it’s more like something you see in an aquarium.”

“Safety is our main priority,” KB explains, “but we’ve been doing this for more than ten years. So for us, it was just another day at the office.”

Brandon reveals the deeper wisdom: “An animal has to trust you.” When sharks approach, “they’re coming in with their eyes closed, waiting for you to put something that smells like food under their nose.” This is not aggression but faith.

Helen’s terror transforms into something unexpected. “I feel sorry for my husband, who was next to me because he could feel me physically shaking the whole 25 minutes,” she admits. Yet even in her fear, she forces herself to witness: “I tried to focus on just what was happening around me. In my head I was like, this is once in a lifetime.”

The shift happens gradually. “After an hour’s break, a sweet drink and a cookie and having the ability to rationalize that, actually, it was like I was always fairly safe,” she reflects. What began as pure fear evolves into wonder and reverence. The mind catches up to what the heart has already experienced—these magnificent creatures moving with ancient grace, utterly indifferent to her presence yet somehow peaceful in their power.

“The second time was much more enjoyable. I was still nervous, but I was the only one in my group saying I think we should do this again tomorrow.”

Brandon understands the deeper purpose: “I couldn’t get anybody to agree that sharks need to be protected… if they fear something. The only way to do this is to get people in the water with them and see for themselves.”

“It is a transformative experience,” Brandon confirms. “You had a fear and you stepped into it and over it.”

Helen emerges changed: “Still seems a little surreal. I can’t believe that I’ve done it.” She entered the water as one person and surfaced as another, carrying hard-won knowledge. Like Odysseus who returned with the wisdom that monsters could be faced and survived, Helen discovers that reason and preparation can transform fear into awe and understanding.

The depths still call to those ready to answer—not with the destructive song of ancient myth, but with the promise of an epic encounter. On the other side lies not destruction, but a fuller, richer way of being alive.