Hiroko Ashikawa is attempting to be the first Japanese swimmer to complete the Oceans Seven, but her challenge got off to a hairy start. In the Molokai Channel she not only swam into a box jellyfish and a Portugese man of war, but also had a head-on encounter with an oceanic white tip shark.
“[The shark] came straight at me in the kayak as Ashiko clambered up the back,” posted kayaker Shelley Oates-Wilding on Facebook.
Ashikawa was forced to end her attempt to swim the 42km channel, but has vowed she will return.