Shark Alley

I've been in South Africa for over a week. It's amazing how time flies except when you are trapped in a cage surrounded by GREAT white sharks. That feels like days.

Our shark diving adventure began with an early morning departure at 4:30. Not easy when you ate and drank at the best steakhouse in South Africa mere hours earlier. I wish that I could describe the journey to Gansbaai...I slept the entire way! We arrived to breakfast and a scary waiver. I couldn't eat anything out of a mixture of nerves and fear of becoming motion sickness. During the safety lecture, I could influence of focus on the thought of sharks! 

The boat ride was rather quick. After about ten minutes of large waves, we anchored. The ride was The crew mentioned that it could take awhile before we saw sharks. (Un)fortunately for us, we saw sharks right away. It's hard to get into those wetsuits! They gave me a child's suit and it fit quite nicely. Lauren and I decided to go in the second group. We were at the top of the boat when we saw the first shark. It was truly incredible. Seeing these magnificent creatures was in action felt like an out of body experience. From that teeth to their creepy blue pupils, these seven creatures are immense. The largest shark that we saw was about ten feet long. They really don't want anything to do with the cage. I find that strange because don't we look like seals in those wetsuits?

The cage. The water was frigid. I made Lauren go on the end. We waited awhile for sharks to swim by. I really did feel secure in the cage. It's comforting knowing how the crew is right behind you and all shark diving is regulated by the South African government. The crew made it a ton of fun. They tell which direction to look for sharks. It was challenging to see the sharks when they were under the water. The pressure of the water makes you come right back up. The crew also enjoyed messing with the girls in the cage from grabbing my shoulders and screaming "SHARK!" to dangling the bait between us. One shark went for the bait and was thrashing into the cage. It's tail splashed us before the beast swam away. Once in the cage sufficed, I preferred the view from the top of the boat. I would definitely do it again! Australia, anyone?

Lauren, the ultimate tourist, bought the DVD! Proof!

Cape Weekend

This weekend was filled with some many things, I don't even know where to begin. Friday night was a night at the waterfront for dinner and wine. An amazing steak dinner at the best steakhouse in South Africa - Baltazaar. I had a huge steak that would easily cost $80 in NYC, yet dinner for three with appetizers, prime cut steaks, two bottles of wine, and dessert cost us $60 a piece, including tip. 

Wine, steaks, and good company.

On Saturday Dana and I went shark diving. They picked us up at the convenient time of 4:30am. The wine really hadn't worn off yet and the 3 hour drive to Gansbaai was not helping. Once we got there we were given a safety talk, breakfast, and then we were off. Diving with the great whites is something I have always wanted to do and I talked Dana into it. Anyway on the boat we geared up in our wetsuits, head to toe, and headed to the top deck to wait. Within ten minutes of casting the bait a great white came up to check it out. It was such an amazing site just to see this giant creature emerge from the ocean. When I got in the cage the water temperature immediately hit me, 52 degrees, and even in a wetsuit, you feel it. Then they came. One by one. A 10 foot female who was hunting took the bait while the rest just checked it out and swam away. This girl was a beast. She came out of the water, grabbed the bait, thrashed all around, banging into the cage, all while I was frozen with temporary fear. Although not interested in the cage at all, these prehistoric predators have no problem thrashing their bodies into the cage while trying to get a tuna head off a line. Dana and I only got in the cage once, for about 15 mins. Frigid water makes your legs cramp and your body tremble. When we got out we just watched from the top deck as the sharks continued to slam into the boat and cage, roll their eyes back into their heads as they went for food, and bared their teeth. Such an amazing experience, and for the record, I really wasn't scared. The crew on the boat made us feel safe, except when they grabbed my shoulders and yelled "SHARK!" when we were in the cage, or put the gross tuna head between Dana and I unknowingly. 

Teenage sharky only about 6-8 feet.

Today, Dana and I took a tour of Robben's Island, which is about a 30 min ferry ride from the waterfront. We toured the prison with a guide, who was a former inmate there in the 1980's. He was part of the ANC (African National Congress) and held as a political prisoner. The tour was very inspiring. However at some points, me being the animal enthusiast, was more interested in a tortoise on the side of the road rather than listening, or trying to see an endangered African Black Oyster Catcher (type of bird, and I saw them).

This is where I saw the African Black Oyster Catcher, unfortunately I couldn't get them in the photo, I was too far away. This is what they look like:

Back to history, this is a lime quarry where Nelson Mandela would work while he was imprisoned on Robben Island. The pile of rocks in the middle was created by all the prisoners, including Mandela, when they were freed.

Nelson Mandela's cell. You are not allowed inside, however Barack Obama was during his visit here four weeks ago. 

More prison photos:

This week will be a busy one as well. Volunteering, activities, wine tasting, and safari. Can't believe a week has gone by already. I do miss home, but each day I am here I am having a new experience that will last forever. 

-Lauren