By Ian Hughes From Daily Mirror UK

Michael Maes, Ellen Cuylaerts and their children Margaux and Max had no qualms about venturing into such formidable territory – the waters around the Bahamas.

Sixteen-year-old Margaux Cuylaerts poses for a ‘selfie’ with an oceanic whitetip shark in the background,

Filmmaking couple Michael Maes, 45, and Ellen Cuylaerts, 44, took to the shark-infested waters with their children as part of a documentary about conquering fears.

Dauntless Margaux, 16, and her brother Max, 14, had no qualms about venturing into such formidable territory – the waters surrounding Cat Island in the Bahamas.

Ellen, who is from Belgium, but lives in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, wanted to educate her children about the importance of protecting the sharks, who are hunted for their fins.

She said: “The first time they got in I swirled around them like a lioness, asking them if they were okay again and again.

“When I realized they were more than fine and feeling comfortable I let it go and just enjoyed their encounter.

“It’s very special for a mum on a mission to protect sharks and avoid infecting your children with useless fear.

“Information and education is the key to becoming a wise adult.”

The children hadn’t planned to join their conservationist parents in the water but after watching from the surface of the boat they were keen to take the plunge.

Both Margaux and Max had attended prior safety briefings and knew the importance of keeping their heartbeats down and maintaining eye contact with the sharks.

Ellen said: “The children were very calm and even went in the water again the second day, this time in the deep blue with four Oceanic sharks around them.

“There was more current so they had to hold onto a rope.

“They kept calm, watched all sides and kept eye contact with the shark closest to them – all the things they had learned.

“They enjoyed every second.”

For more on this story go to: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/shark-selfie-margaux-cuylaerts-fearless-3438724#ixzz2zkIDEyUC