Bright and Early

Just returned from a braai at Krom and Skeef, had a little bit too much fun. Had lunch earlier at the Great White House (think we're actually in Kleinbaai... Whatever, somewhere in the Western Cape). Pretty into the 5 hours of sleep a night thing, actually. But feeling quite worn now, will update this tomorrow. Later bru.

We woke at 5:30 this morning.

First real day
Getting up earlier than the asscrack of dawn
Preparing for the trip out - putting on clothes (under armour, volunteer t-shirt, rainboots, neon K-Way, volunteer jacket), meeting everyone in the kitchen, heading to the garage to pack wet suits, bait and chum, loading up the truck, going to the boat, cleaning around the boat; feeling quite useless really, mostly just standing around on the boat, not knowing where anything is and trying not to get in anyone's way
Climbing up the unstable ladder
Describe the morning routine on the boat - the cleaning, the tying, the wiping, the preparation of wetsuits, the food, the bait, the cage, etc.
Walking back to the house; without recognizable constellations giving me an indication, sky is still as if it were midnight
Walking out of the house - can see all of the stars, although they are extremely unfamiliar
Breakfast - weet bix and Milo
Heading back to the boat, launching out of the harbor, sun rising
Ally holding up a tuna head, luring the birds to the boat, the birds pecking at it
Anchoring in Jouberts
Talk about boat process - luring sharks in with chum line ("About five minutes after the chum line, we spotted our first shark", "lowering in cage from starboard side", technical thingies (starboard, port, bow, stern), over 140 species of shark in this part of South Africa, every shark we see will be a great white because they are curious, come to the surface, etc.
Describe the different jobs/duties on board
Taking pictures at main deck and top
Watching from above is much clearer than in the water; can see a lot more
Talking to Grant - years as skipper, why certain weather conditions are better than others for shark sighting, being a paramedic, how one month can change lives (supposed to be in UK as paramedic, did this for a month, never left)
Learning about the shark licenses - 8 here in Kleinbaai, 3 in False Bay, 1 in Mossel Bay
Telling him how I've always wanted to learn how to drive (sail) a boat and how to tie knots and swing around and climb parts of the boat that make others feel will be dangerous but will become second nature and as sure-footed as being on land with a few practices; learning that Ally actually sails a lot and is pretty awesome to talk to for all of this; Grant mentioning that Ally could teach me a few knots and such
Seeing lots of sharks, collisions with cage, thrashing around, getting some cool pictures
Sailing back into the bay
Cleaning the boat - hosing down and scrubbing the deck, putting wetsuits away, lowering stuff to the crew on the bakkie (bucky)

Knot lesson from Ally; tying fenders

Clove hitch

Round knot and two half hitches

Bowline

Reef knot

Sheepshank

Coming back
Taking a break

Dinner - Danielle's chicken caesar pasta
Braai with the whale crew
Drinking games with the whale crew