So....I survived! haha The shuttle picked me up around 6:15 a.m. for a 2.5 hour ride to where we'd be doing the dive. I slept most of the way and woke up above the clouds! Seriously, I woke up, looked out the window and there were rolling green hills, rocks, and looking down on clouds! Anyway, we finally get to the lodge and I eat breakfast and wait for all the other people to get there. About 30 minutes later we get our briefing from the captain. He tells us: It's about a 20 minute boat ride. First, we will toss chum in the water (ground up fish with sea water) and our bait (a giant fish head on a rope) and then we wait. The main objective is for everyone to see a shark from the boat, then we'll start putting people into the cage, 5 at a time. The cage is actually strapped to the side of the boat, and you don't even snorkel. You just sit in there and wait for someone to yell "Divers! Divers! Divers! On your left, or on your right, or at the bait!" Then you pull yourself under water, hold your breath, hook your feet under a bar (or else you'll just float back to the top) and enjoy the view.
So, it really is like fishing, there are no guarantees if you'll "catch" anything and you just throw out the bait and wait. I'd say we waited about 30 minutes before the watchman started yelling. We all run to the side of the boat and look--sure enough, there's a great white shark swimming towards the boat, near the bait, and then it leaves. Then the first 5 people start getting into the wet suits and get into the tank. Here comes another one!! Now I'm not a great judge of size but if I have to guess I'd say the sharks we're seeing are about 10-12 feet long? I guess you could give or take a couple feet too, but they were big, and they were great white :) The first group stays in for like 30 minutes maybe before a couple people decide to come out. Then I go in. About 2 minutes after getting in here comes one, possibly the best view we have all day. "Divers! Divers! Divers! On your right!" (This is where I am, the last person on the right). This one was probably about 5 feet from the cage, just swims around for a good 20 seconds and leaves. I saw a couple more while I was in there. Finally, after a dry spell, I come up. So, on average, I'd say we were out there 4 hours and saw one every 20-30 minutes or so, give or take a little.
So, it's not all National Geographic like I and maybe you had thought it would be. They come one at a time, swim around calmly, only a couple actually went after the bait. The captain has already told us, they are calm and curious animals. They will just come to investigate what is going on. All in all it was fun. The whole purpose of the company who takes us out is to make people more aware, to see sharks in their natural environment, to change your opinion that they are not vicious animals, and they use the money for research and basically saving the sharks. Mission accomplished. They were beautiful and not scary at all once you see them. (However I wouldn't want to be dumped in the ocean by any means!!)
What was cool was realizing where we were: Shark Alley. Ivan & I had watched this on Discovery or something. It was talking about all the seals on Dyer Island (which is where we were anchored, just off Dyer Island). The show was saying how the seals will try to leave the island for food and they must go in high numbers because if you're alone the sharks will get you, etc. And there I was, in a cage, in the (freezing) Atlantic in Shark Alley!!
The boat ride itself was pretty exciting. I've never seen waves that high that far out in the water. It was crazy. And on the way back our captain was definitely trying to give us all a ride for our money. We were heading straight into waves as tall as the boat. I couldn't help but think this was what it's like for the guys on Deadliest Catch :) haha Anyway, it was a good time and I'm glad I went. No, I didn't get any pictures...once I realized how quickly they come and go, I knew I wouldn't actually see anything if I was busy taking pictures. I did buy the DVD of the day though--which will be mailed to the states. It gives you an idea of what I saw that day and shows the cage and some of the sharks, and Dyer Island too. So you can watch that.
Today was a beautiful day! I debated doing my Table Mountain day today because it's weather dependent but I also needed to go to the store so I did that instead. I went to the mall, bought a hat, sent off some post cards, got groceries, and went to a movie too. I saw "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," which was really funny. Last week a group of us went to see "The Happening," which was CRAZY! It was horrible acting (by good actors ...) but the message was good, and it kept you on your toes. Skip to the next section if you don't want to know what it's about---but, basically there is something happening that causes people to kill themselves!! Creepy right? There will be large groups of people and then they just get really still and start talking nonsense, then, they kill themselves with whatever means is closest--jumping off buildings, laying in front of a lawn mower, shooting themselves, hanging, shoving utensils in their necks, slitting wrists...it's nuts, but the reason it's happening, is actually a decent message...
Anyway, what I realized when I was at the movies both times is that it's a chance to forget where I am. I could be anywhere in the world, I could be home! I like being here, but a nice break with American movies is a great break here & there. Plus they cost about $3, cheaper than renting! So I'll be seeing as many here as I can!
Back to work tomorrow for a 3 day stretch.
