(15) Shark Cage Diving!

Our original shark cage diving trip got cancelled, but it was rescheduled for Sunday!  We were SO pumped to be able to go since they said they had been cancelled for the past 5 days due to bad swells at sea!  We had to get up at 4 am to catch our ride at 5 am to head to Kleinbaai.  We had breakfast there and then a briefing about the trip and headed out to the boat!  We had to drive to Gansbaai because the tide was too low in Kleinbaai so the trip to the sharks took a little longer.  They gave us life jackets and rain coats - which we definitely needed because we got completely soaked going over the huge waves!! 

We finally stopped and anchored out in shark alley, beside Dyer Island which was covered with seals!! 

Once we were ready to get into our wet suits, I started to get VERY sea sick!  Ahh!  It was my worst nightmare!  I had to sit at the bow of the boat practically the whole time with a barf bag (which I made use of, along with a handful of other sea sick passengers and Marine Dynamics volunteers).  I did get to slide to the side of the boat and watch the sharks, but I didn't get to go into the cage like Garth did...

It was pretty incredible how close the sharks were to the cage, but they didn't pay any attention to it or the people inside!  They were only concerned with the chum in the water and the seal decoy!

They wound even bump into the cage!

It was a pretty surreal experience to be that close to a great white shark!  They are very impressive creatures and even more so in person - and not on the Discovery Chanel! 

Getting to see them jumpin out of the water was a-mazing!!

Garth got some great shots!!

After everyone got a chance in the cage - well except for us sicklings at the front - we got to drive around Dyer Island to see all the seals!!

And there sure was A LOT of seals! 

Then we headed back to land and I took a barf bag for the road since I was still a little wobbly!  Sad day!!  And it's even worse because I was the one who was dying to go shark cage diving!! :( I guess I'll have to try again on another trip!!  Maybe I'll take some Dramamine before!

(14) Hike up to Table Mountain...or Devil's Peak

On Saturday, we were supposed to go shark cage diving but it got cancelled since there was bad weather.  Holy let down!!  We were beyond bummed, be decided to take advantage of a clear down in Cape Town and go hiking up Table Mountain!

It was a beautiful trail!  We were surprised by how many waterfalls, rivers/creeks and running water that was coming off of Table Mountain!  

Then we decided to go check out Devils Peak...thinking it was a quick little detour and then we'd be back to hike up to the top of Table Mountain...Little did we know that it was a hike to the peak of an entirely separate mountain!! 

We are starting to get really good at the self timer shots! 

One of the many beautiful waterfalls on the hike up to Devils Peak

Garth's artsy shot of some of the flowers along the trail, and the bay in the background

We are almost to the top of Devils Peak!  You can see Table Mountain in the background here. 

definitely

WE MADE IT!!  It took us about 3 and a half hours to get up to the top!! There was some VERY steep parts of the climb where we were on all fours climbing up some sheer rock faces.  This hike is definitely not for rookies, so we were definitely out of our comfort zone!!  Garth kept telling me we were almost there to make me feel better toward the end since I was having a little bit of a freak out because there were some clouds rolling in and I was worried we were going to get stuck in a rain storm while we were hiking back down!  Not to mention, we were hiking up a mountain and there were some pretty steep drop offs!!  Luckily, the clouds only lasted for about half an hour and it was sunny and beautiful the rest of the hike down!

The view of Table Mountain from Devils Peak - with those clouds rolling through!

The mountain got its name from the legend of Van Hunks. Van Hunks was a Dutch pirate, who spent his days smoking his pipe where the saddle of land connects Devil's Peak to Table Mountain. One day, Van Hunks challenged the Devil, a great smoker himself, to a smoking contest. The prize of the contest was Van Hunks' soul. While puffing their pipes, so much smoke was generated that a "tablecloth" formed over the mountain. This is a regular feature on Table Mountain when the Cape southeaster blows.
In the end, Van Hunks lost the contest and the devil not only got his soul but also the honor of having the mountain they were sitting on named after him.

We often forget to stop and enjoy the views.  Today we took it easy and consumed every special moment this walk could offer us...Which is why it took us so long, and why we ran out of water so quickly! haha

Taking another break along the trail back to Table Mountain

We got to walk through quite a few water falls...it was making us a bit thirsty tho! 

Garth a little ahead of me on the trail...I was strolling and taking photos :)

Looking back at what we hiked - Devils Peak

Looking down at Cape Town and the harbor...

We decided to take the cable car up to Table Mountain because we had been hiking for 5 and a half hours at this point and were dying of thirst!!

At the top of Table Mountain...defeated from the hike

We walked around the top of Table Mountain and were in awe of the views!!  We had to get a photo of Devil's Peak in the back ground!

A little perspective shot...it is a pretty significant hike!!  Loved every second of it! 

(13) We made it to Cape Town!

We made it to Cape Town pretty late last night so we probably fell asleep on the ride to the hotel because we were basically zombies walking through the lobby!  We are staying right on Table Bay so we have a fantastic view of the water and some pretty extravagant yachts!  We are totally getting spoiled over here!  Talk about fancy dancy!

This was our view from our room this morning!  

When we look out our window, and a little to the right, we can see table mountain!  I was SO excited that it was somewhat clear that morning - I got ready to go hiking because I've been dying to hike up Table Mountain!  I was going to check a MAJOR box on my bucket list!! ....then...I know, your heart sunk too...the sky turned grey and that little cloud tuned into suckville.... it dropped about 10 degrees, and yup - that was a rain drop :( 

Major bummer!!  

That was ok tho!  We still had a fantabulous day in the Cape!  We got picked up by our driver, Shareef who took us to a flea market a few blocks away.  **sidenote** flea markets are pretty much my heaven - but Garth isn't a fan of the merchants getting in your face about buying things right then and there and pressuring you to make a deal...

I would just like to say that I'm so proud of my hubby!  He went from pretty much hating his life walking down each row, to wheelin and dealin like a champ!  He was talking down prices before I could say "bullshit you carved that rock into little African people all by yourself!"

After spending about 4 hours wandering the market and making a couple trips to the ATM...we finally headed out of the city and started our tour of the Cape Town Peninsula!  First stop - wine with a side of lunch in Simons Town!  Then we did the touristy thing to do, and went to see the African Penguins!  Shareef told us they were also known as the "Jack Ass Penguins" but he didn't  elaborate on why so we just assumed it was because they were about as annoying as the seagulls  outside our window so we kept our mouths shut!

We were pretty excited thinking we would see some Chinstrap Penguins but realized they are still only in Antarctica...we can make do with Garth "Chinstrap" Blakely for now... 

Chinstrap Penguin on the left!

These guys are pretty awesome!  They wear fur collars...

And play fetch!

They like to snuggle...

And swim!  (Or take a potty break...but really who doesn't go in the water to pee?)

Even penguins get the cold shoulder from mom and sleep during timeout... 

And they have a pretty aggressive "mean muggin" face 

But in all seriousness, these little guys are awesome!  

They all hang out together and watch out for each other...

Or talk crap behind each others backs...

And someone always gets their feelings hurt...

"Come at me bro"

After hanging with the African Penguins - which by the by - actually do make noises like donkeys so we totally get the "jack ass" reference - we got a penguino cappuccino and continued around the Cape peninsula...

It was pouring rain and extremely windy so we didn't get to see very much, but we did spot some more zebra!  Shareef got excited and told us that it was very rare to see "mountain zebra" but I don't know if he was being serious or just felt bad that it was such a gloomy day - regardless I almost dropped my camera and lenses since I was so excited!  Let's be honest, I did...

And blew my cover ... 

We even saw saw some wild ostrich....

So weird looking!  

Then we finally made it to the very tip of the peninsula - at the Cape Of Good Hope - and we literally almost got blown into the Atlantic...this photo doesn't even remotely show how windy and rainy it was - that's a dang good camera - but we felt like those poor reporters during a hurricane!  

Outtakes to prove the windy/rainy mess...

Garth has his hands around me so I could stand up and literally didn't get blown away...such a good hubby!  And I was hanging onto the post for dear life ... While trying to hold my hood down - so important, I know ;)

The waves off the coast were out of control!  I can't believe that people go surfing out there!

We saw a rainbow!  False hope that it was clearing up...it only lasted 4.3 seconds

Seriously tho, it was such a FUN day!  We are loving Cape Town!  Honestly tho, Garth likes it here more than I do...I really miss being in the bush and experiencing real Africa.  Cape Town is a little too westernized for me but I still love being here and experiencing a new culture!  

Tomorrow we are going shark cage diving!!!  I cannot even begin to describe how excited we are to see some great whites, up close and personal - and apparently it's a good time to spot some humpback whales as well!  I was getting nervous all day that the bad weather was going to mean our dive trip was going to get canceled, but so far we are good to go!!  Yippee!!  :)