Jaws in real life! Time to go shark cage diving!

On May 1, a group of 7 students and I went shark cage diving. AaGGggHHhhhh! It was THE craziest thing I have ever done in my entire life! our group had to be picked up at BI in Kalk Baii at 5:30am, so some of us who were staing in Oceanview had to be picked up at 4:30am! It was a super early morning start, but I knew it was going to be all worth it in the end! From BI, the van took all of us students and four others on a two hour drive to Gaansbaii. It is one of the most popular areas to see great white sharks in the world! When we got there, we had a quick breakfast at a restaurant and then boarded the biggest ship in the shark cage diving industry. IT actually held the world record for around the world in the shortest amount of time in 1998! It was pretty cool. :)

In
In Gaansbaii, the boat took us to Dyer Island, right next to what they call "Shark Alley." I got a little sick on the way out there, because we were right smack dab in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. But I also think it was from all the excitement/nervousness from the fact that I was about to get into a metal cage and essentially swim WITH GREAT WHITE SHARKS! So we finally stopped in this area, and everyone who was shark cage diving (cuz some people just came along for the show) got divided into three groups. I was in the third diving group. :)

The divemasters and the boat crew threw chum in the water, as well as tuna heads as bait, to attract the sharks, but I didn't really expect for the sharks to come. But when the first group went into the cage, great whites soon came after about 10 min.! I couldn't believe what I was seeing! Total we saw either 6 or 7 different great whites (not sure if the 7th one was the same from earlier), and I saw 3 while I was in the cage myself! One of the sharks was a 12 footer, and it almost jumped into the part of the cage that was uncovered! CRAZY!

What the divemaster would do is throw the bait in the water, close to the boat, and as soon as the sharks bite into it, he would begin to pull it away from him, essentially bringing the shark to the cage! So this one shark had a really good grip on the bait, that while the divemaster tried to pull the bait back towards the boat, the shark came full force attached with it! In my second time in the cage, a 15 footer shark jumped out of the water at the bait and got so close to the cage and started ramming the cage! Yes...I was in the cage! SO INSANE! Totally the biggest rush of my entire life! I thought that jumping off the world's highest bridge was the craziest thing I had done in my life, but shark cage diving totally topped that experience times a million! I couldn't beleive that I could even see the shark's super sharp teeth!

After, we had lunch at the same restaurant where we had breakfast and then was brought back to BI and then eventually to Oceanview. Shark cage diving was the best way to end my South Africa semester! It was an opportunity that I knew I would never be able to do again! :)

Later that night, Virgina and Berna held a braii (bbq South Africa style) for Brianna and I's last night in Oceanview. They invited some family and friends. Of course again, the food was amazing! There was so much of it! We had steaks, porkchops, salad, pasta...everything! The next morning, Brianna and I went to their home church with them called New Apostolic Church. It was definitely a different experience, because the service was held in Afrikans and English, and I had never been to an apostolic church before. But I am happy that I have been able to experience so many new things during my time here in South Africa. I have learned alot about the people, history and culture of South Africa, and I wouldn't trade it for anything! :) My time is coming to a close here...so until next time....