Jaws

Thursday, April 2^nd

We left Cape Town early on Thursday Morning.  We headed straight for Hermanus.  It was only about a two hour drive, so we got to Hermanus rather early.  We stopped at the hostel, Hermanus Backpackers, and then went for a drive.  We drove through the town and found a little café on the beach to enjoy some hot chocolate.  We walked the beach until it started to sprinkle.  We decided to head back towards the hostel.  We stopped in the town center to shop at the local markets and stores.  I found this funky little shop that I could have spent loads of money in.  I ended buying some things from them, but definitely not as much as I could have!  I went for broke for the second day in the row.  We went back to hostel to relax before dinner.  After going out for dinner, we returned to the hostel.  We knew we had an early morning the next day. I stayed up and played games with a ten year old who was staying with her family at the hostel.  She is from Cape Town and LOVED One Direction.  I heard all about the heartbreaking split of one of the members leaving the band.  I had a great time at Hermanus Backpackers, especially when I got to play with their two cats and one dog.  It was a charming place that I wish I could have had more time at.

Friday, April 3^rd

We had an extremely early morning on Friday.  We had to be in GaansBaai by 7 a.m. and we were about an hour away.  When we got there, early of course, no one was there.  There were a handful of cage shark diving shops all next to each other, and the place we were going was the only one not open quite yet.  Within about ten minutes someone was there to open up.  They fed us a breakfast as the entire group slowly arrived.  They take up to 25 people out each time.  We signed our lives away and waited for the last of the group to come.  We then loaded the boat, and got ready to head out!  It was very surreal as to what we were about to do.  On the boat, they handed out the wet suits.  Chris and I were the first two in the cage.  They put five people in at a time.  The cage is about six or so feet tall.  Most of the cage is underwater, but about one foot or less is left above.  As the tide rocks the boat, the amount of the cage above water, or lack there of, varies.  It was not diving or even snorkeling.  You just hold your breath as you go under water.  I managed to only swallow the ocean water once on the whole excursion.  While we were in the cage the first time, one of the other girls in the cage kept throwing up from sea sickness.  This caused no sharks to come towards the boat.  We did however see some dolphins swim past.  We got out of the cage and sure enough, the sharks came!  I jumped right back in the cage.  I was fumbling with my goggles like crazy.  The sharks would swim right next to the cage.  The water clarity was poor, but they would get close enough that it did not matter.  My emotions were a mess of adrenaline and fear.  I went down one last time, and it was the best time.  The last shark that we saw was fighting to get the bait.  He struggled to pull the whole rope down right in front of the cage.  I do not know how the shark managed not to hit the cage.  Everyone in the cage was screaming.  We were terrifies and excited all at once.  It was the perfect way to end the adventure.  Once on shore we ate lunch and then headed back on the road for the last stop of our road trip journey. 

This picture is self-explanatory.