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Published: April 1st 2007
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White Shark Project
Research Boat in Klienbai. It’s April fools day and I am up at 5.00am to travel to Kleinbai about 40km east of Hermanus to go out on a Great White cage diving boat. I’m nervously excited as I drive through the dawn to arrive just after 6.00am.
We (me and a load of Germans including kids!) were welcomed with a light breakfast before being introduced to the events of the day and provided with oue equipment.
It’s really foggy this morning and we arrive at our boat for our 3-4 hours excursion just after 7.00am. After our short 20 minutes trip to an island just offshore colonised with seal the skipper drops anchor just off a kelp bed about 400m offshore.
The crew than started to put out a chum trail to lure the sharks into our area. Within 10 minutes we had our first sighting of the magnificent great white, this time only a couple of small juveniles approximately 2.5m in length. I had been chatting with one of the crew (who was originally from Blackpool) about the Great White and why it’s on the top 10 list of endangered species. The main cause is the reduction in numbers due
White Shark
2m Juvenile Great White to shark fin soup which is believed to be an aphrodisiac in some parts of south east asia. Although completely false this has reduced the numbers significantly and with the decline in the top predator of the food chain this then has a knock on effect down the food chain. In fact in certain parts of the globe this is one of the reasons why the reefs are dying in that there aren’t enough predators (i.e. sharks) to provide natures cleanup of old/dying fish etc.
Another shark has now come to pay a visit a 3.5 metre female! These things are totally awesome and appear so calm swimming around the boat and lunging at the large piece of tuna acting as bait.
The call comes out from the skipper “who wants to dive first?” I don’t know why but my hand went up first. I didn’t feel at all scared about the prospect just privileged to be able to dive with these magnificent animals.
After pulling on my wetsuit with 3 other (the water is bloody cold!) we descended into the cage awaiting our first close-up of the Great White. Well, what can I say! Seeing up
Drink in Hermanus
Me, Kirsten and Chantelle (Marli's Flat mate) close a 3.5 metre top predator in its natural habitat is just a mind blowing experience. At times I honestly thought it was checking us out. Not to eat but simply in curiosity. We are free diving so we can only view the shark for as long as we can hold our breath when attacking the bait. With 4 in the cage it did seem a bit cramped and claustrophobic.
After 10 minutes viewing we ascended out of the cage to let the next group in. My first question to the skipper was “Do we get a second bite” not literally of course. He said it depended on how many other wanted to dive and how long the sharks hung around.
Another 10 minutes passed until the 2nd group had returned and again the skipper asked, “Who wants to go next”. To my amazement nobody else on the boat (22 in total) wanted to dive!
This left me and another English chap who wanted to dive again. We had another 15mins in the cage with the 3.5m female and on this occasion she hit the bait right in front of the cage. What a great, if a little
Saigon restaurant
Lovely Thai restuarant in Cape Town with Cameron, Marli, Me and Kirsten bit scary, experience.
After a 10 min break, we entered the cage for a 3rd time and within 2 minutes were joined by a 4.5 metre male. WOW this thing was huge and the smaller female certainly knew her place. Seeing this thing turn on a six pence to attack the bait was incredible; one of the best experiences of my life!
Unfortunately some of the other passengers were being ill form sea sickness so we had to return to shore earlier that I would have liked, but it was still wonderful!
After buying the mandatory t-shirt and DVD of our trip (which is winging its way to Stratford) I returned back to Hermanus to meet up with Kirsten who had met up with Marli and her flat mate Chantelle.
After picking up the art (after having to call them to open the shop!) and wandering around Hermanus, we checked out of the guesthouse and drove the very pretty coastal route back to Cape Town stopping in Gordon’s Bay for a drink. Our route took us via Betty’s bay, Pringle Bay, Gordon’s Bay and finally the N2 to Cape Town.
We arrived at the Jardin D’Ebene guesthouse again at 5.30 where we packed our bags in preperation for tomorrow’s flight to Perth via Joburg.
We had arranged dinner with a colleague of Kirstens from lords at 7.30pm at the Saigon Restaurant. We had another lovely meal with Cameron and Marli and after packing all our wine boxes for shipping into Marli’s car we retired to bed.
Ta Ta for now K & M
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