Shark Diving – In Two Oceans Aquarium, Cape Town!
You can go shark diving in South Africa without a cage- at Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town!
BG and I visited the aquarium (see a previous article in this blog) and really enjoyed the exhibits. One of the main attractions was feeding time in the main “tank” (more like an Olympic swimming pool!)
The picture on the right shows how the turtle is attacted to the “target”. Divers hand feed the turtles since the fish will grab their food first (guess water turtles are slow like land turtles also!).
The commentator talked about how sharks in the tank did not generally bother the other fish because they were well fed (although he admitted smaller fish “disappear” occasionally). He also said certified scuba divers could swim with the sharks in the tank during specified times (and with a dive guide, of course).
Apparently this is a safe activity – back to the well fed shark principle – and I think it would be a great adventure. I am not a certified scuba diver but it I am sure it would be a great experience.
I have heard of “swimming with the sharks” in politics but this takes it to a whole different level – where else but South Africa!
You can click here to get more details about this adventure…
What do you think? Please add your comments by clicking on the title above (“Shark Diving – In Two Oceans Aquarium”)
October 3, 2009
Posted in: Adventure!, Places You Must See, Sharks!, Uncategorized 
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Zoos and the Animals of South Africa
When I grew up in Texas I always enjoyed going to the zoo. However, the zoo of my childhood was comprised mostly of concrete and steel cages to hold the larger animals. Still, I was fascinated by the experience. Each exhibit had a map of where the creature came from and I always dreamed of seeing the animals of Africa in person on their own turf…
Fast forward XX years (hey, I’m not going to say how many!) and I got the opportunity to fulfill my dream in South Africa. You can read about these adventures in detail by clicking on the “wildlife” section on this blog.
So the other day I read a very interesting article written by Keith O’Brien called “The Identify Crisis of the Modern Zoo”. Here is an excerpt that summarizes most of his points concerning modern day zoos:
“…many…see changes on the horizon. Nigel Rothfels, author of Savages and Beasts: The Birth of the Modern Zoo , believes zoos of the future will have fewer species and larger spaces for them to occupy. Those that choose to keep elephants and other large species, he argues, will likely do it better than ever before, putting significant resources into the projects. But most zoos, Rothfels believes, will make a different choice: They will give up the charismatic megafauna that people have come to expect. In other words, the biggest challenge for some zoos in the years ahead may be letting go.”
Today’s more progressive zoos do have larger spaces and habitats that make the animals feel more at home. But a zoo is still a zoo and it does not compare to the wild.
That is one of the (many!) reasons why I love South Africa. The South African people and government seem to genuinely appreciate their wildlife and actively take steps to preserve and nurture them. Sure, there is never enough money and there will always be various conflicts and pressures. However, there is a wealth of wildlife preservation activities going on in South Africa and many of them seem to be growing.
One of the best examples are the “smaller” game parks (although “small” is a relative term in South Africa!). Even a “small” game park will blow away a typical American zoo or animal park in terms of size, diversity of fauna, number of animals, etc. You can readily see the animals “up close and personal” and observe their behaviors. They are very much “wild” in every sense of the word – even though they may be managed. And of course the larger reserves strive to create a completely wild environment that lets nature take it’s course completely – the hunters, the hunted, and so on…
So I applaud American (and other countries’) zoos as they try to both entertain and communicate the message of conservation to each generation. And hopefully more people will actually get to travel to South Africa to experience zoo animal origin maps firsthand…
You can read the entire article (“Keith O’Brien: The identity crisis of the modern zoo”) by clicking here.
What do you think? Please add your comments by clicking on the above title (Zoos and the Animals of South Africa)…
September 30, 2009
Posted in: Wildlife No Comments
And Now For Something Totally Different…
BG sent me an interesting link the other day. It is a YouTube video of an a cappella jazz choir from Slovenia (of all things!) called Perpetuum Jazzile singing the song “Africa” (done by the rock band Toto in the 1980’s).
They have a very unique way of presenting the song, including a simulated African thunderstorm at the beginning and end. Pretty amazing considering they do not use any instruments at all (at least I learned one thing from my high school band days – what “a cappella” means – ok, so it refers to a choir, not a band; I guess an a cappella band would not have any instruments so it would actually be a choir, but I digress – a lot…).
You can see the video by clicking here – enjoy!
What do you think? Please add your comments by clicking on the above title (And Now For Something Totally Different…”)
September 29, 2009
Posted in: Culture and Customs No Comments
Cheetah Adventure – Kragga Kamma Game Park, Port Elizabeth
One of my favorite things about South Africa is the opportunity to see “exotic” wildlife up close and personal. And they may be exotic to me but they are “common” in South Africa…
One sunny afternoon BG, her mom, and I hopped in the car and drove a few short miles (ok, kilometers) to Kragga Kamma Game Park, just outside Port Elizabeth. It is a wonderful place to spend the day and I would love to spend the night in one of their cabins.
We decided to go at the last minute so our plan was to take the self drive. After entering the gate we drove a short way and immediately spotted some springboks. Further views yielded zebras, an ostrich, giraffes, and lots of other animals that I needed to look up in the book. They give you a viewing list and it is pretty extensive.
One sight I will never forget was seeing a ranger bakkie (pick up truck for us Americans) with a person in the back holding some type of vegetable and calling out “come, come, come”. Just down the “pasture” (hey, I’m from Texas!) three rhinos were trotting along like a group of hungry puppies stomping after the bakkie. I guess they were moving them to another part of the range. Quite a sight – something else you don’t get to see in the U.S….
But the highpoint of the day was driving through the cheetah enclosure. We drove into a double gate electrified pen and proceeded slowly along the dirt road. The terrain was very hilly and thick trees and shrubs surrounded the road. Suddenly a cheetah appeared right in front of us. It paid no attention to us as it trotted down the road and passed our car, close enough to touch (but of course, we didn’t!). Then another cheetah appeared and repeated the process – and then another!
We were thrilled and I immediately turned the car around and tried to follow them. They stayed on the road and headed to the electrified gate. Then they sat and stood by the gate, looking out! They are very intelligent animals and I assume they were scheming on how they will get out of their restricted area to check out the springboks when we left. We definitely kept a close watch when we exited the double gates…
I love the game parks in South Africa and am learning a bit about the experience. BG took me to the “big” game reserves the first time I travelled to South Africa (more to come about them in later articles!). They were great because I truly felt like I was in Africa. The reserves were huge and you had to travel with a guide to see the animals. It was a challenge to see them in such a large area and spotting them was always a thrill.
Yet the smaller reserves such as Kragga Kamma are great in their own way. You do not have the “safari” experience of traveling for hours to see a smaller number of creatures. But you do see the animals “up close and personal” due to it’s relatively small size (still huge compared to the U.S. zoos I am used to).
If you travel to South Africa for the first time I recommend that you do the “big” game reserves first to get the “safari experience”. Then check out the smaller game parks to get a very different perspective – and experience things you will remember for a lifetime!
What do you think? Please click on the above title to add your comments (“Cheetah Adventure”)…
September 28, 2009
Posted in: Adventure!, Places You Must See, Wildlife No Comments
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-09-26
- Working on this week's articles for iluvsa blog – hope you enjoy them! #
- Some good reader responses on the shark article – thank you! #
- Just got back from watching District 9 – an amazing movie! Will definitely write an article about it… #
September 26, 2009
Posted in: Twitter Tweets No Comments
District 9 – Not Your Typical Sci Fi Adventure…
I saw the movie District 9 yesterday – and was blown away (not unlike the aliens in the movie!). It is definitely not a “chick flick” and was one of the (very rare) movies I went to without BG…
My initial attraction was to see the South African connections in the film – it is a 100% product of South Africa. However, I quickly got lost in the plot and enjoyed it completely on it’s own merits (although the South African connections are still fascinating).
Don’t worry about any plot spoilers in this article. I tried to explain it in detail to BG and she literally fell asleep before I finished (in her defense, it was pretty late).
It does contain South African-unique cultural issues such as apartheid, immigration, townships, etc. But the movie itself transcends these issues and hits at a deeper personal level. Plus it is a great science fiction / action adventure movie with enough plot twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat (literally!).
I strongly recommend that you see it (but be aware it is pretty violent). And let me know what you think of it!
What did you think about District 9? Please click on the heading above to add your comments (“District 9 – Not Your Typical Sci Fi Adventure…”)
September 25, 2009
Posted in: Culture and Customs No Comments
South Africa – Where Geography Shapes History
South Africa (public domain map)
I am fascinated by how geography affects history. I know, it sounds strange…but it amazes me how history is literally shaped by the way the land and seas are laid out.
Even if you look in your own neighborhood, wherever you are in the world, you will see (or can find out) how the lay of the land affected roads, development, structures, etc. There is always a reason why something is located where it is and geography is almost always the driver.
But on to South Africa – where this is especially apparent…
When you look at a map the most prominent feature of South Africa is the Cape of Good Hope. There are two major drivers – it is the southernmost point (most southeastern point to be very specific) of a massive continent and you have to go around it if you want to get from west to east via boat (or vice versa!). And obviously you don’t want to travel way out in the ocean to pass by so you try to “hug” the cape as close as (safely) possible.
And this has brought about a wealth of history.
European traders plying the waters to the Far East had to pass by Cape Town. It was a natural stopping point and Cape Town became a critical and strategic trading center. Table Mountain is the most prominent geographic feature. I can image the early voyagers spotting it after enduring a tortuous journey from Europe. There would be more to miles to travel, but at least the crew could take a breather and replenish their ship stores in Cape Town – I am sure they loved the sight!
Even today massive supertankers and commercial vessels of all types ply the waters just off the coast of South Africa. You may not see them and technology allows them to bypass Cape Town but South Africa geography puts them there.
And due to South Africa geography you also encounter unique South African weather patterns and ocean currents – which is food for thought for another article!
What do you think? Please add your comments by clicking on the above title: “South Africa – Where Geography Shapes History”
September 24, 2009
Posted in: Geography, Places You Must See No Comments
I Don’t Understand Cricket
I don’t understand cricket. I do know that South Africans absolutely love the game.
I understand (U.S.!) football, baseball, and basketball. I would like to learn about cricket but it seems awfully confusing right now…
BG’s mom is definitely a fan. She has the TV turned on for days to follow a game. That in itself amazes me-how can a game run for days? The only thing I think I know about cricket is that every person on the team has to be declared “out” before a team wins-that is why it takes so long.
BG’s mom said they changed the rules for a “shortened” version that only lasts for an extended evening. She said the action is very exciting! I can’t (or “con’t” as BG says) even imagine that-a long American football game runs maybe three hours…
I think that says something about American and South Africa cultures-we Americans want it all RIGHT NOW while South Africans can take their time and enjoy the experience. And maybe that’s not a bad thing at all.
Now I better hurry up and finish this article…
What do you think? Please click on the heading above to leave your comments (“I Don’t Understand Cricket”)
September 23, 2009
Posted in: .First Time Here? Some Good Posts To Read, Culture and Customs 2 Comments
Great White Shark Cage Diving – The Adventure of a Lifetime! Part I…
Great White Shark
There is a Great White Shark (white shark) cage diving service in Mossel Bay (White Shark Africa) and BG let me sign up for it (she is a great and understanding wife!).
This service is the work of Theo Ferreira, a pre – eminent white shark expert and conservator. Theo is a “converted” shark hunter who led the successful crusade to ban Great White Shark hunting and wrote the book “Shark Man”. Many National Geographic and BBC documentaries were filmed using Theo’s shark crews.
The crew provided excellent background knowledge on the white shark and the cage diving gave “hands on” experience (but you keep your hands in the cage!).
Great Whites are solitary creatures that roam thousands of miles. The sharks feed in the bay but they disappear for months then re – appear. They GPS tagged one Mossel Bay white shark and watched it travel to Australia and back in 99 days!
BG saw me off at the dock as we headed to Seal Island, a short 10 minutes away. We dropped anchor and watched the seals play in the surf and sun on the rocks. The white sharks cruise around the island and prey on the seals. The seal mothers take their young to the beach across the channel and teach them how to swim and (try) to avoid white sharks.
Sometimes sharks come to the boat immediately and other times they take their time – and they did…We waited patiently as the crew threw foul smelling chum into the water. We put the bottom half of our wet suits on – very tight and uncomfortable contraptions but also very necessary for the 52 degrees fahrenheit winter waters (you would drown in less than an hour without it – the water literally takes your breath away). This was the most difficult part of the journey (next to the shark cage) – the smell of the chum, heat from the wet suit, and rolling motion of the boat did not feel good at all.
We sat in misery for about 1 ½ hours when suddenly the crew shouted “shark!”. There it was – a “small” Great White Shark about as big as I am! It circled the boat, sized up the bait, and lunged after it – spectacular! After it ate it immediately left the area. The crew said they do this at times. Great White Sharks are truly wild creatures – they cannot be trained to take bait on command like seals, dolphins, etc. They cannot be kept in captivity, so cage diving is the only way to see them…
White sharks have very slow metabolisms that allow them to go for days without eating. They are hunters of opportunity and when they see prey their metabolisms go into overdrive. Our sharks were cruising around, got excited about the bait, but quickly went back into “cruise mode”.
Finally, after about another hour two sharks appeared and the crew shouted “get in the cage”. We quickly put the tops of our wet suits on and grabbed our goggles. Now we were really uncomfortable, but we were headed for the extremely cold waters…
Please go to Part II…
Before you do, what do you think? Click on the link above to leave your comments (“Great White Shark Cage Diving – The Adventures…”)
September 22, 2009
Posted in: Adventure!, Sharks!, Things You Must Do, Wildlife 3 Comments
Great White Shark Cage Diving – The Adventure of a Lifetime! Part II…
Shark Cage Diving
There were six of us and we could all fit in the cage. It rested next to the boat and was three – fourths submerged. We were told to stand on a bar near the bottom of the cage that allowed our heads to remain above water.
We crawled in the cage as the sharks circled. The crew stayed on the boat – I hoped they knew what they were doing… The water bit into us quickly but the wet suits did their job. I was so excited about the sharks that I did not notice the frigid water (at first!). The crew closed the top of the cage and we bobbed on the surface – feeling like sardines in a wire can…
The crew yelled “go under” so we held our breath, dipped our heads below the surface, and peered through the cage with our goggles. The shark passed by the cage – just inches from us. When I surfaced I saw the shark break out of the water, jaws wide open, just two feet away as it lunged at the bait. I wished I was on the boat to photograph it but this was an “experience” adventure…
Then the shark disappeared and went wherever sharks go. We were left in the cold, frigid waters and waited…and waited…and waited. The crew continued to chum but the sharks did not cooperate. The chum reek was nauseating as ever but at least the shark cage did not move the way the boat did. I looked at the horizon and over Seal Island but there was no call for sharks.
I felt completely safe in the cage but was glad I did not read Theo’s book until the next day. On page 94 he writes:
“When a shark is swimming around the cage, it knows that there is something alive inside. It can see movement, smell us, and detect our respiration and heart beat, but can it distinguish between the cage and the contents of the cage? I believe that the sharks see the cage and human in it as one object and when they come to investigate, they taste the inedible steel of the cage and back off. Is there any reason why they should think that the diver inside would taste any better than the cage?”
The cold was bearable so our main problem was boredom. We bobbed in the shark cage for (it seems) another hour. Suddenly the crew shouted “shark, go under”. We all dove down and watched in fascination as the shark came even closer than before. It turned sideways and dwarfed the length of the cage. Then it turned toward the bait and rammed the cage with a huge “blam”! The cage shook like a car hit it – spectacular! We all came out of the water yelling with excitement when the command to dive was given again. Again the shark torpedoed after the bait and collided with the cage – it was a rush! Sharks do not attack cages or boats – that is a myth. But they do run into them in their excitement to eat, and that provides an unforgettable experience.
We sat in the water for another extended period until the crew told us to get out – we could only stay in for a certain amount of time (well over an hour). We took our wet suits off and the boat headed back to shore. We got a close up view of the seals on the way back – shark food ala carte…
It was an amazing afternoon and I learned and experienced a lot. The crew said we know very little about Great White Sharks – for every question that is answered a hundred more are raised. God put some amazing creatures on this earth and the Great White Shark ranks in the top list!
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Fyi, here is a link to Theo Feffeira’s book “Shark Man: My Obsession with the Great White Shark – from Hunter to Protector” – it is an excellent book.
What do you think? Please click on the link above to leave your comments (Great White Shark Cage Diving – The Adventure…”)
September 21, 2009
Posted in: Adventure!, Sharks!, Things You Must Do, Wildlife No Comments
Pat on 
Alicia on 