While writing this I am back home in The Netherlands again. Although I wonder if the word home is still really appropriate. The classic line between the place you call home and your temporary place of residence in a foreign country seems to have blurred after my second stay in Kleinbaai because this charming seaside village really started to feel like a second home very soon after my arrival. It was amazing to see the ever gracious and impressive great whites again, especially since we got to know a couple of individuals quite well this time around. Who could forget Patch, the amazing jumping shark with the big, red flesh wound just behind her eye. Or Frank and Skidmark, two very inquisitive sharks that we saw during several trips. And last but not least Nemo, the remarkable wartime veteran that keeps on growing and thriving despite her bent dorsal fin and badly mauled pectoral. What a survivor and a perfect example of the resilience that is so typical for the great white shark as a species! The thought that this animal might go extinct one day due to the ignorance, greed and stupidity of certain portions of the human race fills me with dread. But the same realization also fuels my fighting spirit and gives me the notion that I can make a difference by spreading the truth about the true nature and ecological value of these wonderful animals. Apart from the white sharks, I fully enjoyed many of the other natural wonders the Western Cape has on offer. The awe-inspiring southern right whales, the graceful blue and mako sharks, the playful seals, the amazing dolphins, the colorful reptiles, the Cape Floristic Kingdom and the rich birdlife, all of these miracles of Mother Nature make you realize that everything is interconnected and that every creature plays its role in the grand scheme of things. And me: I’m left with a bag full of fantastic stories and experiences that no amount of money can replace.
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