It just seems bizarre that any normal person would hop into a thin-barred cage dangling from a boat in shark infested waters. This was my exact thought when my cousin, Michael, was trying to convince me to go shark cage diving with him. He was visiting from New Zealand and had heard that Gansbaai was one of the best places to go shark cage diving. He’s a massive adrenaline junkie so this was a must for him. Michael had managed to convince both my mother and sister to join him which ultimately made me say yes because evidently I also have a fear of missing out.
I didn’t say much during the drive to Gansbaai as my mind was consumed by thoughts of things I would do if something went wrong whilst we were at sea. I enjoyed every moment of being in the car, safe on land, hoping that by the time we got to Gansbaai the weather would be too bad for shark cage diving, which is ironic because more people die in car accidents than by being attacked by a shark. Even the chances of dying from being hit by a coconut are higher than the chances of being attacked by a shark.
The wind was fairly strong when we got to the shark cage diving company in Gansbaai. On arrival we were briefed before watching a short video that laid out some ground rules and instructions. During this session, I had that constant feeling of when you go over a bump really fast and it feels like your stomach drops in your body. This was on account of the fact that they obviously had to go over the procedures to follow in case something goes wrong.
As we walked down to the boat that was docked next to the jetty the wind appeared to be even stronger. We were told that the stronger the wind the poorer the visibility so that was a bit of a let-down but none-the-less we ventured out into the bay. The boat had two levels and my mom, sister, cousin and I were on the top level, hoping to gain a better view of our surroundings. The wind seemed to make the boat feel extra wobbly and I remember looking around to see which shore would be closest to swim to, with the least chance of being eaten by a shark, if the boat were to somehow sink. The skipper brought the boat to a standstill and a member of the crew threw some chum into the water. We waited a while before moving off to a different spot as no sharks appeared. The new spot was far more successful and the sight of a shark prompted the first lot of five to six people to change into the supplied wet-suits and hop into the cage. The bars of the cage were far thinner than I expected so I most definitely was not going to be the first to go as I needed to see it be tested out first.
Watching the sharks swim around the boat was more fascinating than scary surprisingly. Once we garnered up enough courage my family and I decided it was time to give it a try. Weirdly, once I slipped down into the water and was enclosed in the cage I became more relaxed than I was when on the boat anticipating getting into the cage. I think the fact that I had my family next to me made me less afraid and when a great white shark came right up to the cage it was exhilarating rather than frightening.
I would highly recommend this as it really is a perspective altering, adrenaline filled experience! Visit Shark Zone’s website to find out more or book your own shark cage diving experience today by calling 082 894 4979 or emailing info@sharkzone.co.za.
