Back in November, I mentioned South Africa’s Shark Lady and her “Crystal Cage” – a virtually invisible Lexan cage with 250 times the impact strength of glass. Capable of withstanding an attack by a great white, the Crystal Cage isn’t really a cage at all. Rather, it’s a 7-foot-tall, 5-foot-in-diameter tube into which a diver can fit. Given that it was developed by a woman known as the Shark Lady, therefore, it should come as no surprise that the tube is for viewing sharks. 

The Shark Lady, whose real name is Kim Maclean, claims her Crystal Cage is a better way to view sharks. Because the cage is clear, she believes it provides more of a connection between nearby sharks and the person inside. (I wonder how easy it is to photograph through a curved Lexan wall?) Further, Maclean believes that it’s better for the sharks. Not only are there no sharp edges to cut the shark, “traditional” steel cages create a lot of electro-magnetic disturbance, which annoys the big fish. 

“The main reason I do this [lead cage diving excursions] is because people are so misinformed about sharks,” says Maclean. Not to sound like a cynic, but I believed her until I read that a day of diving in the Crystal Cage costs $1,800. Nevertheless, the Shark Lady has developed a new way to interact with one of the planet’s most amazing creatures. If you’re interested – and wealthy – you can try out a Crystal Cage beginning mid-2006 at the earliest.