Kelly and I definitely have an on-going bucket list of activities we are willing to try and then those that if the opportunity arises, we would think long and hard about. Cage diving with the Great White sharks was one of those activities where we were at an odds. Not many people get to go to South Africa, let along go shark diving! I was nervous about the experience, but also couldn’t pass up the opportunity, whereas, Kelly was more on the fence. After some convincing, we were both in and I can confidently say we both do not regret it for a second! Thinking that you will be face to face in the water with this giant and intimidating creature could easily talk someone out of this, especially if you have seen the movie Jaws. I will have to say, the very old graphics of the movie are still to this day very, very accurate. Let’s discuss…the day starts quite early in the morning depending on where you stay in South Africa. For us, since we were in Cape Town, it was about a two hour drive. It winter at the time we went, so the weather is quite cold, rainy, and windy! You are very bundled up and the whole time you wonder how and the heck are you going to be able to get in the frigid waters without getting hypothermia. Thankfully, you are given a dry suit that covers your entire body and actually does a really good job of keeping you warm. Next up, the boat ride to the middle of the ocean where a cage is attached to the side of the boat. The guides start throwing out chum for the sharks to attract them-the sharks are extremely smart and can smell food from far away, so we didn’t wait long to see the dorsal fin coming towards the boat. Groups of 6-7 people climb into the cage that drops 8 feet below the water line so you are able to push yourself down to get a really good look at the sharks. These massive mammals are unbelievable to see in real life in their wild habitat. It is definitely an adrenaline rush of whether or not the shark will attack the cage, or will everything go smoothly. Thankfully, we had no funny business under the water and we were able to catch close up pictures of the sharks! After coming back to shore, the dedicated marine biologist for our group educated us on their conservation efforts with these sharks. The numbers have been steadily dropping due to global warming, so these tours are helping fund research and tracking of the animals to protect them from becoming extinct. I recommend this tour 110% if given the chance! You will be helping preserve this species, while having a once in a lifetime encounter! https://sharkwatchsa.com/en/the-trip/shark-cage-diving/
