When I first heard about shark diving I thought there was no way it could possibly be worth it. I’d heard of people paying up to $250 for a single day’s experience. The safari I went on was less than $100 per day, and I thought there was no way it could possibly measure up to the safari. However, given everything I’d heard, there was no way I was going to come to Cape Town and not go shark diving. Fortunately, we found a really good rate through a travel agency, and I decided I had to find out for myself just exactly what all the hype was about.
After being a rugby hooligan the night before, to say I was unenthusiastic about being picked up at 4 am would be a gross understatement. I got in the van, passed out in about 10 seconds, and woke up two hours later in Gansbaai, the Great White Shark capital of the world. One of my friends who had been on another bus told me I won the award for looking “the least happy” to be there. Amen. I was prepared for massive disappointment, thought I was going to get sea sick, and didn’t really even understand why I had come. As soon as I got on the boat, though, everything changed.
There’s something about getting splashed by 50° water at 7 am that gets the adrenaline flowing. Holy shit! I’m going to see great white sharks! I suddenly was both terrified and excited, but most importantly, the idea of disappointment evaporated. Why would people pay so much and endure such brutal conditions if it weren’t amazingly badass? I knew we were in for an awesome day.
The idea of shark diving is as follows: they lower a cage into the water right off the side of the boat. The cage can fit five people across and is less than 3 feet from front to back, so you can barely even move. You sit in freezing cold water waiting for the sharks to come while the crew throws out chum to attract the sharks. Once one comes you go under the water and hold your breath and watch it swim by. (As a side note: this sounded incredibly lame to me and was one of the reasons I thought it would suck. I want to swim with the sharks!) I was in the first group in the cage, and after waiting around for about 30 minutes a shark finally came. And then another. And then they circled us for about 4 minutes. These ginormous creatures literally feet away from me. One of the only predators man has not been able to tame. Separated from me by a metal cage. I could have reached out and touched them. So cool.
After 45 minutes in the cage it was time for the next group of five to go. They had an amazing turn, which included a shark jumping out of the water trying to grab the chum and smashing into the side of the boat. It was unbelievable. We had 18 people in all and split into four groups: two of five and two of four. I decided after going first that I wouldn’t take off my wetsuit in hopes that I could get back in the cage with the last group. My perseverance through not bundling up was rewarded, and I got to go back in the cage for a second time!
I got back in the water and immediately regretted it: I’d already seen these sharks up close and I was shivering from the second I got in. It was far colder this time around. We were about to get out when one final shark came. It grabbed onto the fish head the captain was dangling and wouldn’t let go. It tried to rip the fish head off the line and was thrashing about violently until it’s tail finally smacked against the outside of the cage, literally inches from me (I was on the outside right). I could’ve easily touched it. One of the scariest and coolest moments of my life at the same time.
Anyone who tells you that shark diving isn’t worth it is a hater. It far surpassed all my expectations and was one of the most fun days here so far.
After being a rugby hooligan the night before, to say I was unenthusiastic about being picked up at 4 am would be a gross understatement. I got in the van, passed out in about 10 seconds, and woke up two hours later in Gansbaai, the Great White Shark capital of the world. One of my friends who had been on another bus told me I won the award for looking “the least happy” to be there. Amen. I was prepared for massive disappointment, thought I was going to get sea sick, and didn’t really even understand why I had come. As soon as I got on the boat, though, everything changed.
There’s something about getting splashed by 50° water at 7 am that gets the adrenaline flowing. Holy shit! I’m going to see great white sharks! I suddenly was both terrified and excited, but most importantly, the idea of disappointment evaporated. Why would people pay so much and endure such brutal conditions if it weren’t amazingly badass? I knew we were in for an awesome day.
The idea of shark diving is as follows: they lower a cage into the water right off the side of the boat. The cage can fit five people across and is less than 3 feet from front to back, so you can barely even move. You sit in freezing cold water waiting for the sharks to come while the crew throws out chum to attract the sharks. Once one comes you go under the water and hold your breath and watch it swim by. (As a side note: this sounded incredibly lame to me and was one of the reasons I thought it would suck. I want to swim with the sharks!) I was in the first group in the cage, and after waiting around for about 30 minutes a shark finally came. And then another. And then they circled us for about 4 minutes. These ginormous creatures literally feet away from me. One of the only predators man has not been able to tame. Separated from me by a metal cage. I could have reached out and touched them. So cool.
After 45 minutes in the cage it was time for the next group of five to go. They had an amazing turn, which included a shark jumping out of the water trying to grab the chum and smashing into the side of the boat. It was unbelievable. We had 18 people in all and split into four groups: two of five and two of four. I decided after going first that I wouldn’t take off my wetsuit in hopes that I could get back in the cage with the last group. My perseverance through not bundling up was rewarded, and I got to go back in the cage for a second time!
I got back in the water and immediately regretted it: I’d already seen these sharks up close and I was shivering from the second I got in. It was far colder this time around. We were about to get out when one final shark came. It grabbed onto the fish head the captain was dangling and wouldn’t let go. It tried to rip the fish head off the line and was thrashing about violently until it’s tail finally smacked against the outside of the cage, literally inches from me (I was on the outside right). I could’ve easily touched it. One of the scariest and coolest moments of my life at the same time.
Anyone who tells you that shark diving isn’t worth it is a hater. It far surpassed all my expectations and was one of the most fun days here so far.
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