SHARK DIVING! In Gansbaai, with Shark Diving Unlimited: Picture Diary #11

Definitely one of the (many) highlights of our trip, and something I looked forward to from the planning stages, was cage diving with the great white sharks.  We lucked out and wound up (unknowingly) going with a shark enthusiast, who has spent much of his life filming and studying sharks, conservation and educating people.  Apparently sharks will be extinct in the next ten years - thats right, extinct, not endangered - our children won't experience them.

Due to the time of year, the visibility underwater was very low (only 2m) - at high season the visibility is about 12m... a big difference but our experience was amazing, all the same.  We definitely got our money's worth, and got just as much enjoyment out of watching the great creatures on the boat, as we did from the cage (it was actually much easier to see them from the boat).

THE CAGE

KEEP YOUR FINGIES IN!

Mick, the big bad shark coming to eat us, LOL...

VIDEOS:

South Africa: Cape Town & Area (aka. Beaches & Bliss): Picture Diary #10

After a night in Citrusdal, in the heart of South Africa's wine region, we arrived at our final destination - Cape Town.  What a marvelous vacation spot.  With more beaches than one could ever ask for, history for as much as one wants to learn, and scenery as beautiful as ever, we had to make the most of our short stay here.

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Cape Town comes into view (with Lion's head and Table Mountain in the distance):

Atop Table Mountain... 

 Stunning panoramic view of the Cape Town coastline:

 Cable car going up to Table Mountain:

 One can barely notice where sea turns into sky:

 Stunning panoramic view to the south (towards Cape Good Hope):

CAMP's BAY (This popular beach is notorious for its bars, restaurants & sunsets):

 Our final "group supper" and goodbye: (*tear*)

Tyler & I took a full-day-trip to experience the full extent of the coastline to Cape Good Hope. I cannot describe how beautiful every beach, town and nook & cranny was. Hard to believe there are such beautiful places...

 In this town of Scarborough, you mustn't ever leave your windows open, for you will find yourself showering with a baboon, or come home to a thieved house (for baboons love shiny things!):

BABOON JUST TAKING IN THE VIEW (aka WAITING FOR A WINDOW TO OPEN)

 WHO KNEW AFRICA HAD PENGUINS?! They do! All lying on eggs this time of year, too:

 Town after town of beautiful beach coastline and mountainous interior:

Fish River Canyon (near Hobas), Namibia: Picture Diary #9

Our amazing journey continued, as we hiked along Fish River Canyon (the second largest canyon in the world, and the largest in the continent of Africa).

Our camp:

 The Canadians learn how to play cricket:

 The canyon:

 The stars of your blog:

And... wait for it... (hey, is there a photo shoot going on around here???)

 At the end of the trail just in time to sit and watch the sun set - beautiful...

 Living on the edge... (or rather, sitting on the edge, literally)... but such an amazing trip...