Country Article / Postcards

The First of Four "Must-Dos" for the Extreme Adventurer in Cape Town

Date: 07/04/2005

Dear International Living Reader,

Shark diving is the latest craze for adrenaline seekers, and what better place to see these magnificent creatures than in South Africa--the largest breeding ground for Great Whites in the world.

White Shark Projects organizes shark-watching day trips. They pick you up from your hotel in Cape Town and take you two hours outside the city, to the quiet coastal town of Hermanus. There, you're taken by boat out into the depths of the Atlantic. The sharks are lured to the surface by fish bait, and when they appear, it's time to don your wetsuit and lower yourself into a cage, which hangs precariously from the side of the boat.

When a shark appears, you hold your breath and dip underwater--to see Jaws coming straight for you. Once he decides there's nothing of interest here (they're not interested in eating humans, in fact), he swims off. The experience is scary, yes, but what better way to view these creatures than in their natural environment…so close you could touch them, although that's not recommended!

We were out in our boat for five hours and saw 16 Great Whites. We spotted whales in the distance, too. And you don't have to get into the water if your nerves get the better of you. You can choose to stay on board and view from deck.

The cost of the day trip is $170, including transport to and from your accommodation in Cape Town, breakfast, and a packed lunch, which you eat onboard.For more information, contact: White Shark Projects; tel. (27)846-212-570; e-mail: whiteshark@telkomsa.net; website: www.whiteshark.co.za.

Laura Sheridan
For International Living

Subscribers to IL in print can read the rest of this article in the July 2005 issue, available online now. If you're not a subscriber to the print edition, become one here. Note: when you sign up for IL in print using this link, you'll also receive our White Paper on adventure travel. From hiking the Himalayas to trekking the oldest routes to Rome…cruising up the Amazon to whale-watching in Canada…you'll find the best of IL's adventurous bests here.

Read these and other articles in the July 2005 issue, available online for subscribers.

** Your New Life in 2005: How To Retire In Your 30's And Live Happily Ever After

** Ten Health Care Questions To Ask Before Moving Your Family Overseas

** The Cost Of Living In Latin America's Six Top Havens

** City Of A Hundred Spires--The Property Market In Golden Prague

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