After arriving in Cape Town, we got up early and got ready for the day we had planned. I had booked Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai with Shark Zone about a week before. The Shark Zone team’s transport service picked us up from our hotel and we made a few other stops in Cape Town to collect other passengers. We drove east and made our way up the Houwhoek Pass and across to the meeting point in Van Dyks Bay.
Upon arrival we were served a light breakfast as we listened to the safety briefing. All diving equipment was supplied and towels would be provided on the boat. There was also going to be a videographer onboard to capture our adventure. After eating, we walked to the Kleinbaai Harbour, just a few minutes away, to board the boat. Our boat left Kleinbaai Harbour and the water got a little choppy as we made our way into the open ocean. There were a few other boats around with similar groups from other organizers.
Once the boat anchored, the crew immediately began to chum the water with a slush of products such as tuna and fish to attract the Great White Sharks. When the first shark was sighted, we were asked to kit up and wear the wetsuits and goggles. Groups of 5 were then asked to get down into the cage. For those who weren’t going into the water, the sharks could also be viewed from the boat. They had told us during the morning briefing that being inside the water there was a varying level of visibility and the boat was often just as good, or even a better viewpoint. And that’s the reason they also told us that the underwater camera wouldn’t really make a big difference.
We both chose to go in different batches so one of us would see the action from the boat. The water was freezing and it took a couple of minutes to get over the thermal shock. The cage was about 8-10 feet tall and had a mesh base we would stand on. There was also a red hand-railing on the inside which we had to hold on to. They reiterated that we shouldn’t, even by mistake, hold the outer grill of the cage because even a slight impact by the sharks could damage our hands and wrists. One of the crew was on the top deck of the boat on the look out for approaching sharks. As the shark got closer to the boat he shouted “dive” “dive” “dive” and we had to hold our breath and submerge ourselves within the cage to get an underwater view of the shark, up close and personal. It was fantastic to experience the magnificence of these animals.
There were some drinks and snacks on board for those who were interested and/or had motion sickness. After everyone had been in the cage once the crew asked if we wanted another round. Not wanting to pass up another chance, this time we went into the cage together. Towards the end of our second round in the water, one of the sharks actually bumped into the cage and went under the boat to the other side. This not only shook the cage but rattled the boat as well. If any of us were holding on to the outer grill of the cage we would surely have broken knuckles. That impact gave us a taste of the power of these beasts in the water.
We then returned to the harbour and the meeting place. We had a light lunch and watched the video recording of our activities of the day. After that we got back onto the bus for the ride back to the hotel. As we approached Cape Town we got nice views of Table Mountain which would be our next destination for today.
We reached the hotel and took some time to freshen up and relax. Then we took a taxi to the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway base station. We bought the ticket and stood in line to take the cable car to the top. The wait wasn’t too long and we boarded the cable car.
The floors of the cars rotate through 360 degrees during the ascent or descent, giving passengers panoramic views all around. It took us about five minutes to reach the top of the mountain.
There were multiple pathways at the top that offer people magnificent vistas in all directions.
The weather was distinctly cooler up there, so much so that we actually had to wear our fleece jackets.
Walking along the western side of Table Mountain we were overlooking Camps Bay and Camps Bay Beach.
We could see Lion’s Head Peak and Signal Hill (Lion’s Tail), the names stemming from its resemblance to a crouching lion.
Moving along we saw Cape Town Stadium built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and now used for both football and rugby.
Beyond the Cape Town Stadium we could see Table Bay and downtown.
At many places and lookouts we saw dassies, or rock rabbits, foraging on the slopes and cliffs.
It looked like we were walking in clouds and clouds appeared to flow over the cliffs like a waterfall.
As it got darker it began to get cooler and we decided to head back down.
We took a taxi back to our hotel. Having been out and about all day we were quite tired and decide to go back to The Diplomatic Bar and Restaurant for dinner because it was literally around the corner from our hotel. Our plan was to visit the Cape Peninsula the next day.
🦈 Shark Zone
🚠 Table Mountain
🍽️ The Diplomatic Bar and Restaurant
🛏️ HomeBase Cape Town Backpackers