"Always do what you are afraid to do" -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Since I can remember I have always been terrified of sharks. My biggest nightmare is that I'll end up stranded in the middle of the ocean alone left to be shark food one day. They scare me more than anything. So today I decided to get in a cage in the middle of the Atlantic while numerous sharks swam around me. It was terrifying and amazing at the same time. Between the bumpy boat ride to the middle of the ocean and the extreme nerves I had about doing this I ended up getting sick before going in the water. I was leaning over the boat feeling nauseous when a huge great white shark swam directly under me. Needless to say I ended up vomiting right on top of the shark, but he didn't seem too mad about it.
       The cages fit seven people in at a time so I was in the last group to go. We got dressed into wetsuits and had to put on a weighted belt to keep us under the water. Then we carefully stepped into the cage that was already floating in the ocean (water was ice cold!) and waited to die (just kidding...kind of). The way they attract the sharks is by using what is called chum, basically a bunch of fish pieces thats scent lures the sharks to the boat. As soon as all seven of us were in the cage they shut the top and almost immediately we could see sharks swimming around the boat. When I watched one just glide by our cage my first thought was  "wow they really don't look so bad" but as soon as it opened its mouth I changed my mind. We were in the cage for a solid 25 minutes and at one point a shark came up from the bottom of the ocean, tried to bite the bait line, missed and came charging at the cage. Its face went right inside the small opening in the bars that are meant for our human heads to look out, so for a few seconds the sharks face was in the cage with us. I think I woke every creature in the ocean with my screaming which eventually turned to laughter when the shark swam away.
       Once we got out of the cage we took the boat to seal island, otherwise known as the great white sharks McDonalds drive through. The huge island is literally covered with seals of all shapes and sizes and whenever sharks are hungry this is the first stop they make to fill their stomachs! We drove the boat a little further and stopped again because we saw two enormous whales a little ways ahead of us. It amazed me how large they are, I had never seen a whale before.
Although sharks are still scary I can finally say that I have attempted to overcome my fear and that I am so glad I got the courage to do it! It was such a cool thing to see up close and especially in South Africa, where sharks are so popular. The biologist that came on the boat with us did inform the group that a person is more likely to get bit by a New Yorker just casually walking down the street than by a great white shark, which made me feel a bit better (although I think I'll be avoiding NYC for awhile). I think everyone should face their fears once in awhile, it's a nice little adrenaline rush and definitely something to be proud of!