| An old school friend, Lisa, decided to
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| | We went to Gansbaai, an area infamous for
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| come to Cape Town and visit me for a week
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| | great shark cage diving experiences, for
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| during which she wanted to go shark cage
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| | our expedition. At first the guides gave
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| diving. Even though I've been living in
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| | us a run through of the safety
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| Cape Town for four years, I never got
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| | precautions we needed to observe whilst
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| around to doing it, so when she told me
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| | diving and getting us geared up for
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| that she was going to, I reckoned now was
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| | action while a large amount of chum was
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| the perfect time.
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| | thrown in to attract the Great White. The
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| But first things first
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| | more excited Lisa got, the more nervous I
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| Our accommodation for the next week was
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| | felt, but eventually we got into the
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| the Windsor Hotel in Hermanus. The timing
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| | protective cage and were lowered in
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| was perfect because it was September: the
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| | deeper to view the underwater spectacle.
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| whale season, during which the Southern
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| | The adrenaline rush you get from this
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| Right Whales come to this area to breed
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| | kind of experience is unmatched. The
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| and give birth. It is for this reason
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| | Great White is massive, measuring on
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| that the area is called The Whale Route.
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| | average 4m in length! Its movements are
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| Windsor Hotel is located on the edge of a
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| | extremely quick and its senses sharp. I
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| cliff overlooking panoramic views of the
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| | had to fight against my instincts to try
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| Indian Ocean and the Overberg mountains.
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| | and not close my eyes when of the large
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| Our rooms had all the amenities we needed
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| | robust conical-shaped predators came
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| and the best thing of all was that I was
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| | straight towards the cage and bumped into
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| able to enjoy my first cup of coffee in
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| | it. It's one of those moments where you
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| the morning in the comfort of my own room
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| | see what you are made of, because even
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| overlooking the ocean.
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| | though you are in a protective cage, you
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| On one such morning we had the privileged
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| | still know exactly who is in control. I
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| to witness the whales at play, doing
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| | felt like a fish out of water in the
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| their seductive dance for each other in
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| | cage, but extremely proud of myself for
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| the bay overlooked directly by the hotel.
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| | having the courage to do it. Lisa had a
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| Southern Right Whales are rightly called
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| | waterproof camera and was taking photos
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| as such due to the practice of
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| | to add to her collection of underwater
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| identifying them as the "right" whale to
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| | experiences. For someone who has never
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| hunt because they are rich in oil and
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| | dived before, I thought it was pretty
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| floated in the water after being killed.
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| | impressive that my first dive should be
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| This made them the number one target on
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| | right in the middle of these majestic
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| whale hunters' lists. After witnessing
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| | predators.
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| this display, I could hardly comprehend
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| | When we got back onto the boat
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| why, even if for money, someone would
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| | eventually, they had a picnic lunch
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| want to kill such a beautiful creature.
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| | prepared for us while we viewed the seal
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| It was marvellous to watch this
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| | colonies along the way back to Gansbaai
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| slow-moving whale in its natural habitat,
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| | harbour. By this time our nerves had
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| living a carefree life where all those
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| | settled a bit, but the adrenaline rush
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| who travelled along the whale route and
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| | was still pumping through my veins. Even
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| experienced the playful creatures was
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| | if you are not one for any kind of water
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| made in awe of its existence.
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| | activities, I would insist to anybody who
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| Not for the lily-livered
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| | asked that they experience the rush of a
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| The night before our expedition to go
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| | Great White Shark Cage dive.
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| shark cage diving was a restless one.
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| | Hermanus Whale Festival
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| Lisa was giving me some tips for when we
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| | Just before our week's stay was over we
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| were going to dive. I had never dived
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| | experienced some great fun at South
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| before, while Lisa has been diving for
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| | Africa's only Enviro-Arts festivals.
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| the last four years. To be honest, I
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| | There were craft markets, local cuisine
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| wasn't really all that worried about the
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| | and wine. The whole town was celebrating
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| diving, but rather about coming
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| | the return of the whales, standing along
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| face-to-face with one of the world's
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| | the cliffs overlooking the bay where the
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| biggest predators. The Great White Shark
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| | whales were prancing for each other. It
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| deserves so much respect because not only
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| | was the perfect ending to a great week.
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| is it the largest predator fish on the
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| | Hermanus was as always: beautiful and
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| planet, but also the most vicious when
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| | this was for both Lisa and myself, one of
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| hunting for other sea creatures. Humans
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| | the best South African holidays we had,
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| luckily are not on their list of
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| | even if it was just for a week.
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| favourite delicacies.
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