Cage Diving - Classic Cape Town Outing

Most of you have likely gotten the impression that I don't take a "rest" day well.  The thought of a day of recuperating, getting on the right time zone and watching Netflix when there is a world outside the door, just isn't my thing.  In effort to force myself awake for a day, I scheduled a little outing.  

The shark shuttle arrived at 0500.  That is not really too long after we landed, checked in and had dinner.  Off we went, 2 hours south through dark of morning, having no clue as to what we were passing in the night.  We arrived at the Great White House and started with a hearty breakfast.  Corn flakes, eggs, yogurt, coffee, muffins abounded.  I met some Oklahoma folks at the next table and was happy to have some sort of familiarity aboard.  Sue from Singapore was adventuring alone so we were an easy set for dive buddies.  The key with the dive buddy is to make sure if you get tossed overboard, someone notices (before the sharks do).  

We walked down to port, hopped on the Slash Fin and cut over 2 meter swells to reach the long rolling waves that seemed constant.  We arrived, suited up in wetsuits, masks and weight belts and jumped in the cage like it was the most natural thing in the world.  The cage is likely only 2.5 feet deep so not the big square like on television.  I found myself sticking a foot through a back hole to brace on the boat.  My rationale was that a giant monster shark couldn't fit in that space to nab it.  Finding myself on the far side of the cage with a baited rope of fish heads being repeated thrown over my head was a prime position.  Visibility was about 15 feet.  Enough to see them about, but enough that they disappeared into the fog of murky sea water too quickly.  The size, speed and total control of their bodies was at once awesome and terrifying.  The F word may have escaped my lips at some point.  It is intriguing how long you can hold your breath when you are awe struck by watching a massive apex predator cruise inches from your face, hands, other limbs you've come to appreciate.  

A quick note on my primate brain ability to process the whole proximity to predator thing.  I know I was there and am well aware that we could have reached out to touch the sharks. However, it is really hard to conceive that you are in the water (cage notwithstanding) with a giant animal.  You are in its domain. Regardless of the safety precautions, I felt like I was watching a movie.  Like there was no way I could be there, doing this thing.  

We stayed there for an unknown amount of time and when we finally got out we realized the 7mm wetsuits were warm, but that the adrenaline was what was fueling our warmth. There is absolutely no way to explain how it felt to feel the push of water off of a tail that measured at least two feet tall.  It was a solid adventure, even to the point of realizing I'm not wired for sea faring in a small vessel.  The "Mullet Fish" really enjoyed me reliquishing my breakfast back to the sea for the last two hours of the tour (remember the epic breakfast described above?)  I was not alone on the front deck in this experience.  Oklahoman's aren't wired for continual rolling waves -- that can still be felt as I type.  

Baseline recommendation, if you get a chance, go do it.  If you don't think you have a problem with sea sickness, prepare for it anyway.  I'm an advocate of rest, but don't become complacent to the availability of adventure.  Sure, there will always be another one, but why wait?  A  few hours sleep can be found along the way.  When is a kid from Oklahoma ever going to be near the Shark Alley of her childhood Shark Week marathons again?

Rolling out at sunrise.

Really big sea bird hoping to creep on some food.

The cage you climb into with 7 other peeps.  The idea is listen for the direction on where the shark is coming from (via deck hands), grab a breath and dive down using the bars as leverage.

Singapore Sue

Who's pumped to be seeing sharks?  This girl is.

The eerie part where they come out of the shadows and startle the dickens out of you.  Or worse yet,disappear  into the shadows without a trace or ripple.  

From the boat.

The reason for Shark Alley - tasty swimming snacks.

Beautiful views in Hermanus on the way home from Gansbaai.  

Again, a wonderful long day with too little calorie input/output.  My heart is still not in the sea, but I can assure you my body will not be found swimming in it either.