Sharks....

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Yesterday we got up at 5:45ish, and were picked up at 6:30am from outside the house, by a minibus, and taken to an adventure centre a bit closer to town. We picked up some other people, mostly backpackers, and headed off on the motorway out of Cape Town and towards Gansbaai and Hermanaus.

We had to go all the way back into town to get another man from a hotel, and he was a creepy German guy. He made us wait like 5 minutes so that he could run back to his room to get his diving license!! He didn't need it anyway.

Once we actually set off properly, it took us about 2 hours in the minibus to get to the place that we were going in the boat from. We had breakfast, cereal (YUM YUM MILK!) and a croissant. We were briefed about not touching the sharks, and being sick over the side of the boat if we needed to, not the toilet! Then we were given sexy orange waterproofs and were led onto the boat.

It took about 20 minutes to get to Shark Alley, and then about another hour for the guys on the boat to attract the sharks close to our boat, using chum. (Dead fish and blood mixed with sea water). When the first shark came near, it was amazing. It was not that big, but the power of it was absolutely incredible.

There were six sharks that came to our boat during the course of the day, and there were two that stayed close to the cage when we were diving in it.

We were given wetsuits, and scuba masks, and then we had to climb off the side of the boat and sort of lower ourselves into the cage, and then the lid was shut on top of you. The water was freezing, as it was the Atlantic Ocean, but once you got used to it it was okay.

They attracted the sharks closer to the cage with a lump of tuna, and a cut out of a seal called Glenda. The sharks grabbed for the lump of tuna as the guy on the boat dragged it closer to the cage. At one point, a shark grabbed hold of the lump of fish, and tried to swim away with it. It splashed around a lot, and was really quite aggressive.

After we had dived, we dried off in the sun, and had some lunch (rolls) and then the sea started getting too sandy to see anything, so we had to go back to shore.

We were shown the DVD of the day, and then given the opportunity to buy one. Mel and I bought one between us, and we are going to copy it!! (Cheapskates we know!)

It was an amazing day, and one that neither of us will forget.

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Photos

The Cage
Shark Diving cage being lowered into the water...

Great White
One of the sharks.

Shark!
Shark!

Comments

[Tracey Arlott]

Oh Wow! I'm glad you survived. It sounds kind of great but kind of terrifying. Did Mel go in the cage as well? I told them at work that you went yesterday and that I hadn't heard from you since! I'm glad you really enjoyed it. Missing you loads Mum xx

[Dad]

[e-mail]
Hi Lauz, mmmmrrrrrrrrrrrrr well, as far as I'm concerned you are one brave lady. There is no way in the world you would find me playing with a group of grey white sharks! Can't wait to see the video.... By the way, were are the first photos?????? Write Soon, Love you loads Dad xxxx and Sophie P.S. Lauren, don't you worry your Dad will play with the sharks, trust me!!!!!! Sophie:OO)))