Day 31
Kelly and I were supposed to meet Kelsey and her dad, Larry, early the next day to go shark cage diving. We were going to try the coffee place that Trevor had recommended, Mugg & Bean. So, we woke up early, got ready to go and made our way to the mall to find the place. Everything was deserted. We went into the section where Mugg & Bean should have been according to the mall map, but couldn't find it. A security guard told us it was all the way at the opposite end of the mall, and it was closed. Wouldn't open until 0900.
What kind of a coffee place doesn't open until 0900?!?
We had no idea what to do. Every other place was closed; it would take too long to get back on the boat for their nasty breakfast. Thankfully we were docked right in front of a hotel, and we went to breakfast there. The staff was so nice. They brought us boxes and to-go cups. We got to look at their entire buffet, all of which looked great, but we could only take finger foods. And it only cost us 45 Rand each. That's about $4.50 people. America sucks in the food department.
Kelsey was walking over to meet us as we walked outside, and we went to meet Larry with the car. They had a surprise for us. We were going to stop in Hansa for the Whale Festival! So now I've been to Whale Fest and Lobster Fest.
The drive there was beautiful: mountains, vineyards, coastline, apple orchards. A man wearing shredded plastic bags and a huge hat with egg shells and gourds on it greeted us at the festival. He was really scary. He kept laughing, and he would answer a fake telephone every time someone tried to take a picture with him.
We did lots of shopping in the multitude of tents set up. We also tried some new foods. There was fried potato on a stick (we got bar-b-que and spicy flavors), and for lunch we had pizza in a cone with champagne. All were tasty.
We got to see some whales off the coast, too. They swim up to this part every year to give birth. It was really cool to see their tails come out and dip back under the water.
Then we got back on the road for shark diving. We were the only SAS people at this place. Four South African guys and a few older couples were going with us. Although they guaranteed we would see Great Whites, I had a hard time believing it. However, during the briefing, the captain said we would be seeing only Great Whites! And he didn't lie.
After a short ride out to where the cage was anchored and a few minutes of baiting the water, along came a huge shark. “Oh, she's a juvenile; you can tell because she's smaller.” She looked pretty freaking large to me.
The first group of divers went. Only five people could fit in the cage at a time. You had to sit with your feet on a red bar until they shouted at you to “go down!” Then you would get a big breath, go down and hold on to the red bar while looking around for sharks. You couldn't hold on to the cage anywhere else because then you might lose a finger.
Us three girls and Larry were in the third group, but I got to go in early because there were only four people in the second group. It was amazing to be able to see the sharks so close up. Eventually, Kelly, Kelsey and Larry replaced the four guys in the cage and I slid down to the other end. Our session was the best one.
Sharks don't have very good eyesight. They just automatically open their mouths if something touches their nose. So when one was chasing the bait, he smashed right into the cage in front of Kelly and me. Really scary, let me tell you. There were numerous times when the shark would hit his fin on the cage as he swam by, and they would always come really close on my side with their mouths open. At one point there were two sharks swimming by the cage. You really have to be there to feel the thrill.
Back at the office, they fed us wonderful muffins and coffee. They told us we had seen five different sharks and showed us a DVD of our excursion. Of course we bought a copy. I'll show you later. Apparently, Nicholas Cage had gone shark diving with this company, and they had pictures up on a board. Larry, talking to one of the owners, said, “You know, Erin has seen several movies with Nick Cage,” very seriously. She was so confused. I went along with it, nodding, oh yeah, a few. I don't know if she ever got it.
It was pretty late when we started our drive back. And Larry let Kelly drive. On the left side. In a stick shift. She did a brilliant job, I have to admit. She even made a pass at one point.
We made plans to meet for dinner an hour after they dropped us off at the boat. We went to a place called the Green Dolphin. It had a live jazz band, which they charged you for. The money supposedly went to the preservation of Jazz music through such-and-such foundation. Who knows.
We ordered wine, calamari, ostrich and lamb. Then Kelly and I split a chocolate utopia.
We were all so worn out by the end of the night. I checked the schedule to see if Kelly and I would be on the same flight to our safaris in the morning. That's when I discovered that I had to meet for my safari at 0400! I had thought it was 0630, which is when Kelly's was and when my trip description said. I guess there was a change in plans. So we quickly paid, and I staggered back to the ship for a good four-hour sleep.
Kelly and I were supposed to meet Kelsey and her dad, Larry, early the next day to go shark cage diving. We were going to try the coffee place that Trevor had recommended, Mugg & Bean. So, we woke up early, got ready to go and made our way to the mall to find the place. Everything was deserted. We went into the section where Mugg & Bean should have been according to the mall map, but couldn't find it. A security guard told us it was all the way at the opposite end of the mall, and it was closed. Wouldn't open until 0900.
What kind of a coffee place doesn't open until 0900?!?
We had no idea what to do. Every other place was closed; it would take too long to get back on the boat for their nasty breakfast. Thankfully we were docked right in front of a hotel, and we went to breakfast there. The staff was so nice. They brought us boxes and to-go cups. We got to look at their entire buffet, all of which looked great, but we could only take finger foods. And it only cost us 45 Rand each. That's about $4.50 people. America sucks in the food department.
Kelsey was walking over to meet us as we walked outside, and we went to meet Larry with the car. They had a surprise for us. We were going to stop in Hansa for the Whale Festival! So now I've been to Whale Fest and Lobster Fest.
The drive there was beautiful: mountains, vineyards, coastline, apple orchards. A man wearing shredded plastic bags and a huge hat with egg shells and gourds on it greeted us at the festival. He was really scary. He kept laughing, and he would answer a fake telephone every time someone tried to take a picture with him.
We did lots of shopping in the multitude of tents set up. We also tried some new foods. There was fried potato on a stick (we got bar-b-que and spicy flavors), and for lunch we had pizza in a cone with champagne. All were tasty.
We got to see some whales off the coast, too. They swim up to this part every year to give birth. It was really cool to see their tails come out and dip back under the water.
Then we got back on the road for shark diving. We were the only SAS people at this place. Four South African guys and a few older couples were going with us. Although they guaranteed we would see Great Whites, I had a hard time believing it. However, during the briefing, the captain said we would be seeing only Great Whites! And he didn't lie.
After a short ride out to where the cage was anchored and a few minutes of baiting the water, along came a huge shark. “Oh, she's a juvenile; you can tell because she's smaller.” She looked pretty freaking large to me.
The first group of divers went. Only five people could fit in the cage at a time. You had to sit with your feet on a red bar until they shouted at you to “go down!” Then you would get a big breath, go down and hold on to the red bar while looking around for sharks. You couldn't hold on to the cage anywhere else because then you might lose a finger.
Us three girls and Larry were in the third group, but I got to go in early because there were only four people in the second group. It was amazing to be able to see the sharks so close up. Eventually, Kelly, Kelsey and Larry replaced the four guys in the cage and I slid down to the other end. Our session was the best one.
Sharks don't have very good eyesight. They just automatically open their mouths if something touches their nose. So when one was chasing the bait, he smashed right into the cage in front of Kelly and me. Really scary, let me tell you. There were numerous times when the shark would hit his fin on the cage as he swam by, and they would always come really close on my side with their mouths open. At one point there were two sharks swimming by the cage. You really have to be there to feel the thrill.
Back at the office, they fed us wonderful muffins and coffee. They told us we had seen five different sharks and showed us a DVD of our excursion. Of course we bought a copy. I'll show you later. Apparently, Nicholas Cage had gone shark diving with this company, and they had pictures up on a board. Larry, talking to one of the owners, said, “You know, Erin has seen several movies with Nick Cage,” very seriously. She was so confused. I went along with it, nodding, oh yeah, a few. I don't know if she ever got it.
It was pretty late when we started our drive back. And Larry let Kelly drive. On the left side. In a stick shift. She did a brilliant job, I have to admit. She even made a pass at one point.
We made plans to meet for dinner an hour after they dropped us off at the boat. We went to a place called the Green Dolphin. It had a live jazz band, which they charged you for. The money supposedly went to the preservation of Jazz music through such-and-such foundation. Who knows.
We ordered wine, calamari, ostrich and lamb. Then Kelly and I split a chocolate utopia.
We were all so worn out by the end of the night. I checked the schedule to see if Kelly and I would be on the same flight to our safaris in the morning. That's when I discovered that I had to meet for my safari at 0400! I had thought it was 0630, which is when Kelly's was and when my trip description said. I guess there was a change in plans. So we quickly paid, and I staggered back to the ship for a good four-hour sleep.
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