But the same waters are also part of a natural ecosystem inhabited by sharks.
Several shark species occur in the Bahamas, including reef sharks, nurse sharks, tiger sharks, and others.
Their presence is not unusual.
Sharks play important roles in marine food webs and are a natural part of the region's biodiversity.
Most encounters between people and sharks do not result in injuries.
Millions of people swim, snorkel, and dive in marine environments where sharks may be present without experiencing an attack.
Nevertheless, a close encounter involving large predatory sharks can become extremely dangerous.
A shark's teeth can cause severe tissue damage, particularly when a bite affects a major limb or important blood vessels.
When multiple sharks are involved in a single incident, the situation can become even more difficult for a person to escape.
The victim may face attacks from different directions while attempting to remain afloat.
For Jordan, the danger was especially severe because the reported attack involved several animals.
Bahamian police stated that three sharks were believed to have been involved.
That wording matters.
It reflects the official assessment reported after the incident, rather than a complete underwater reconstruction of every animal's movements.
The supplied account does not establish the species of each shark.
It also does not provide a verified explanation of why the animals attacked.
Those uncertainties should not be filled with speculation.
The known facts are that Jordan was snorkeling near Rose Island when she was attacked by multiple sharks.
Her mother was nearby.
And the injuries were catastrophic.
The incident was not simply a frightening encounter with wildlife.
It became a fatal emergency in a location where tourists were participating in a common recreational activity.
Chapter 3: The Attack Begins Without Warning
Jordan was in the water with her mother when the sharks attacked.
The encounter happened suddenly.
According to Bahamian police, three sharks were believed to have been involved.
The animals inflicted severe injuries on Jordan's body.
Her arms, legs, and lower body were badly wounded.
Her right arm was severed during the attack.
The injuries were devastating.
A shark bite can damage skin, muscle, nerves, blood vessels, and bone.
When major blood vessels are affected, blood loss can become life-threatening within a very short period.
The loss of a limb represents an especially severe form of trauma.
For Jordan, the attack involved multiple parts of her body.
That made the emergency extraordinarily serious.
She was still in the ocean when the injuries occurred.
A person suffering such wounds may have difficulty swimming or maintaining buoyancy.
The immediate need is to escape the animals and reach a location where emergency medical treatment can begin.
But Jordan was being attacked in open water.
Her mother was only feet away.
Kami could see that something terrible was happening to her daughter.