Shark cage diving in South Africa

I'm just back from a long stay in the area where this shark cage diving
business is going on - and it is booming! 7 operators have boats leaving

from Kleinbaai, near Gansbaai... about 100 miles east of Cape Town.
A video company advertised for videographers - and since I have been
one all my life, I signed up, and did several trips before it was time
to
come back to the US.. If you have ever wondered how this works -
here's a short summary.. and since most customers are coming from
Cape Town hotels, I'll describe their day.

Picked up in Cape Town as early as 5AM, sometimes a little later - and
then a 2-hour drive to Gansbaai. There, a briefing and light breakfast.
Down to the harbor to sail at 8AM, 8:30, maybe 9AM.

The ride out to the area where the sharks are likely to be is about
25 - 30 minutes. The anchors are set, the cage is swung around to one
side of the boat, and all those who intend to go in the water are given
wet suits, hoods, foot coverings and goggles. (Some do not go in,
but there's no discount. Everyone pays the same - right now about
1,200 rand - and some boats are better than the others for the
non-divers, because they have a big upper deck).
Depending on the boat, the cage will hold 4 or 5 people at a time.
They don't go in immediately.
The crew is spreading bloody fish guts, etc., on the water, and
throwing out a big piece of frozen fish that's tied to a rope.
As soon as there's evidence a shark is coming around, the
first group goes in the cage.. and stands with the water up to their
chins.
As soon as a shark makes a pass at the frozen bait, the divemaster
yells "DOWN" and they all drop under the water..

In the beginning, people rotate out as soon as they have one good
shark experience. As the morning goes on, everyone has a turn
and people go back for a 2nd and sometimes even a 3rd time.
The boat stays there for about 3 hours. Honestly, by the time
the trip is over, I sense that everyone has had enough and
feel they got their money's worth.

Shooting video is really sort of fun. I positioned myself sitting
on the rail (legs inside, of course) just next to the cage, and shoot
the sharks leaping,
attacking the bait, going right to the cage sometimes, coming
up with those amazing teeth (a few times no more than a yard away
from me).. I screw an aluminum pole to the top of the waterproof
camera housing and get some underwater shark shots that way.

The trick as the videographer is not to make any mistakes - because
when the trip is over, I go back with the customers for a meal,
drinks (yes, including beer, wine with the sandwiches, etc.) and
show them the video! I "edit in the camera" during the trip, looking
at what I have shot and just taping over scenes that didn't turn
out as good as I wanted. The finished DVD that they sell is actually
very interesting.. It starts with a pre-produced segment about the
specific boat and crew that the people went with - then includes the
video I shot during their own trip (anywhere from 12 to 20 minutes)
and then there's a commercial 28 minute production, "The Great
White Experience" and finally, much more sharks, sharks, sharks.
Sells for 300 or 350 rand - which includes registered postal service
to any country in the world. Cheaper price is offered when the trip
was just OK, not great.
At my age (66!) I won't be anything more than a 'fill-in' cameraman
for them - but I'll surely do it again when I go back after the first of
the year.
The video producers have contracts with 5 of the 7 boats, and there
are sometimes 2 trips a day, so they can use me to give the regular
'shooters' a break.
As a lifelong environmentalist, animal rights person - with 18 years
operating photosafaris, I surprised myself by not being offended by
the cage business. All of the companies provide very detailed and
comprehensive briefings about the great white sharks, the penguins
that live on the island nearby, and run the operations with remarkable
professionalism and dignity.
I watched and listened to the people on the cruises where I did the
camerawork, and did not see a single one who seemed put off by
the chumming and baiting. I certainly did see that they were
stunned by the size and force of the sharks! The biggest I saw was
almost 4 meters.. several were 3 meters - and their bodies are
enormous.. much bigger animals than I envisioned.