I had to be at the dock at 6:30am to leave for the three hour trip to the Neptune Islands. It was a gorgeous morning with just a few clouds and since it's winter we were up and moving before the sun came up.
With three hours to kill before we dropped anchor, I was able to thoroughly examine the piece of welded steel that would be the only thing separating me from the beasts.
Aside from the bite marks on the boeys, the one thing I noticed was the side of the cage was dented. After talking with James, he did verify that it was done by a shark. While I wanted a bit more excitement than I got in the cage, I don't know how I would have reacted had that happened with me inside.
When we finally got there, I had the plan of not being first in the cage. In the event that there were no sharks, I didn't want to waste my time waiting for them. But as (non)luck would have it, they needed a solo person which was me. As I was getting on my wetsuit I heard everyone talking about the shark. So I sped up and got right in. Apparently it was only an adolescent, about 2 meters. I missed that one by the time I got comfortable breathing with the regulator.
When I finally adjusted to breathing deeply and slowly, I was expecting to see sharks everywhere but all I saw were fish. Loads of them, even inside the cage. At times I'd freak out a bit when I'd step on one not knowing what moving creature I just stepped on. Visibility underwater seemed pretty good, but all of a sudden a monster 4 meter great white appeared.
My adrenaline had to be flowing because I was no longer cold in the 16 degree water. The beast went for the chum, circled the cage and left. A great intro, but I wanted more. After probably 10 more painstaking slow minutes constantly turning in circles not wanting to miss anything, another one appeared. This one got pretty close to the cage.
I remember starting right up at the front of the cage but when I looked at the pictures after, they were all from the back which meant I must have unconsciously backed up as it got closer. As I was backing up I turned around to make sure I wasn't going to run into anyone only to see another white coming at the cage from the other side. I had my own double shark moment. Everywhere I looked were massive sharks. Growing up swimming in pools and Lake Michigan, I never had a fear of the water. After moving to Boston and swimming at the Rockport beach I've always thought that there could be sharks anywhere. Big ones, hungry ones. Swimming in the harbor and "surfing" at Manly, the thought is always in the back of my mind. Now I'm staring at the big black eye of a Great White no more than 4 feet away. And they are just as amazing, if not more than I could have expected.
It was about this time where it dawned on me I should have had a bit more to eat. My stomach started to turn from the bobbing in ocean (I didn't have enough weights in the belt to keep me at the bottom of the cage but I sure as hell wasn't going to get out and miss anything to get another.) At one point I was sure I was going to puke so I started thinking about my escape because I was sure puking underwater into the regulator would not have turned out well. It didn't help when the dropped a bucket of chum above my head.
And then, another shark came back and all was forgotten. I didn't get nearly the number of photos I wanted to, because I was so awestruck just watching them attack the chum, swim right at the cage only to turn at what seemed like the last second I didn't want to miss any of it. That's probably why a lot of my pictures are also through the cage instead of through the viewing window. That's where I was looking and I didn't want miss a thing.
As another shark was circling us, the captain started banging on the cage. Our cue to come up. Everyone else cleared out, but I waited until that shark left before I got out. After getting out, I think they got video of me talking about it and I'm pretty sure I just kept saying amazing and awesome. I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to get every picture I could of these amazing creatures.
Sitting in a pub today writing this, I kind of wish I booked a second trip for today. Six hours on a boat certainly would have been worth it for another hour in the cage with those animals. The experience wasn't nearly as scary as Shark Week makes it out to be. Even though they weren't very aggressive, I was still glad I was inside a cage. Even if you have a fear of the water or sharks, if you has the opportunity to do this, DO IT. Just make sure to invite me along.
Location:Port Lincoln, South Australia
