Thalassophobia

When Jaws was released in 1975 it definitely struck into the heart of its viewers a certain fear of the ocean, open water and the creatures (sharks) that dwell beneath its surface. Although I was not around when the movie came out, after seeing it as a child, everytime I find myself near the ocean scenes from the film trickle into the back of my mind. Open Water has definitely done the same thing, execpt with more intensity because it is based on true events. Not a true story, but true events. I've heard there is an article in Outside Magazine about the same kind of thing - a couple was left in the ocean while scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef. And apparently this is something that happens more than people think. The movie was well done, it captures the sense of frustration, anger, and terror of being stranded in the middle of the ocean with nowhere to go and nothing to do except float and let fish nibble on your leg, and watch as the sharks start circling closer and closer to you. It left me with one certainty - I will never, ever go scuba diving. ever.