The two hour drive to Gansbaai passed them by without incident. The sun rose over the mountainous landscape as they gently dozed in the back of the shuttle. On arrival at Marine Dynamics they were greeted with yet another breakfast. Not ones to pass up food of any kind, they ate yet again: this time it was eggs, toast, meats and more fruit and cheese.
Shuffling in a single line onto the tiny boat, it became quickly apparent that the sea was angry that day. The small boat tossed the brave seafarers from side to side, up and down, back and forth. They arrived at the infamous “Shark Alley” and anchored where other boats had experienced sightings earlier in the day. As they struggled to envelop themselves in the ridiculously tight wetsuits and continued to be thrown from side to side, the first began to look slightly green. Inhaling a Gravol, she sat down and waited for the nausea to pass. Just then, the first shark was spotted port side. The second (yours truly) grabbed her camera and secured a decent viewing spot and snapped one photo before the nausea curse hit her too. Taking a spot beside the first, the two seemed to be the only ones on the voyage experiencing seasickness. The second endeavoured to choke down a Gravol as well, but alas, it was too late. Stumbling to the front of the boat, she expelled not one, but two breakfasts. The first joined her shortly thereafter and hurled so many times over the next 2.5 hours that everyone lost count. They both managed to successfully dive with the sharks for about 15 minutes, and while down there a white shark even bit the cage. Feeling a bout of nausea sweep over her yet again, the first feebly requested out of the cage to once again claim her spot at the front of the boat. In what could be interpreted as an act of defiance, she managed to throw up the remainder of her stomach contents directly onto a shark swimming in the water below. A small victory in an otherwise overwhelming defeat.
Huddled together and hating everything that life was offering them, they silently cursed the hand that the sea had dealt them that day. Focused on the horizon, they willed for a time machine to fast forward through the next couple of hours. Eventually the boat was headed back to the sweet, sweet land; and on arrival they fully understood why sailors kiss the sand. They carefully made their way back to Marine Dynamics where they were served soup that looked like vomit. It tasted pretty good, though.
As the memory of being ridiculously nauseous fades, they would probably say they are both happy to have gone shark cage diving. Though both would also agree that they will never, ever do it again.
