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First breach of the season

Oh my word, I cant believe its been so long since our last blog post.

The end of Feb saw the start of our shark trips to Seal Island. We did our first film shoot of the year with the travel channel and Redline productions and since then we have done about 8 shark trips. All but 1 trip we got sharks, which is very good for the intermediate season which can have a 50-70% sightings rate.

We finally fitted  our booking shop in Simon's town. at the beginning of March, much to my relief, however  I have had a frustrating two weeks interviewing potential candidates Some don't pitch or pitch the next day at there own leisure, don't phone to say they will be late, etc etc. However, yesterday I think I finally found the right person. Lets wait and see what progresses. 

We went to sea yesterday, and we saw our first breach of the season. It was a decent sized shark of around 4m. As Wellington put the seal decoy in the water, the shark leaped out of the water in a spectacular explosion.

We took our new guide to sea today. Shoena is a qualified marine biologist and zoologist and is very excited to  be spending shark season with us.

Today is the Argus Cycle race. Its blowing a gale outside and I am very glad to not be on a bike in this wind. It does mean we are stuck in our house the entire day, which is really frustrating for the kids, but I am going to take them down to the park just now. They have been really naughty, and last night I found them painting Adams little scooter with some paint that we had used to paint the shop. I had taken it out of the car a few hours before and the kids eye's must have lit up as if they had found the jack pot. Adam had a paint filled roller in one hand and was wielding it like a sword.

Best I take them for a walk as my locusts have just destroyed the bathroom.............

Tamsyn's first great white shark trip

I was so excited when Rob and Karen asked me to join them on their first trip of the season to Seal Island. The closest I have ever come to seeing a Great White Shark is looking at the photos that Rob and other guests had taken on previous trips. The idea of a “flying” shark still seems surreal to me. Because it is still early in the intermediate season I knew that there was a possibility that I might not get to see a shark on our trip, but I had high hopes. Nevertheless it was a successful trip and we managed to see 4 sharks that day!

The run out to Seal Island was nice as the swell wasn’t too bad. We circled around Seal Island for a short while before we dropped anchor. It took me a while to get used to the horrible smell of the guano and the unusual mixture of sounds the seals made. The sound was a combination of bleating sheep, barking dogs and crying babies.

About an hour after we arrived we were all sitting waiting at the stern of the boat when Rob shouted that a shark had taken his bait line. My heart started pounding with excitement and I was going frantic trying to catch a glimpse of the shark, which I never did get to see in the end. Rob said it was only a small one of about 2m. I was a bit upset that I never saw it and I just hoped that I would at least get to see one shark before we headed inland.

After that I thought I would try my luck up top on the viewing deck. Another 20 minutes or so later, as if out of nowhere, this monster shark of about 4m swam up next to the boat. In a mixture of excitement and fear I shouted “Shark!” The shark swam past the stern of the boat and then turned around and came back to inspect the bait, but it didn’t stay very long. It did come back again and this time stayed for much longer.

A female shark of about 3m also came to inspect the decoy seal we had thrown in the water. Rob and Wellington recognized this shark from the previous season. She also didn’t stay too long and seemed more interested in the dead seal that was floating just off the island. The shark tossed the seal carcass gently up in the air a few times before taking at in its mouth.

On the way back to the harbour a navy boat came to warn us that they were going to start their shooting exercises in the water and escorted us back inland.

It was definitely an unforgettable experience and one I would do again in a heart-beat!

Today's great white trip to seal island

We took a trip to seal island today. I haven't been on a shark trip in a while and when Rob said he was going, I was keen to come along. We also took Tamsyn, our new assistant with us as well as our 4 year old Jordan. I promised her that when she was 4 she could come and see the sharks.

The day started out with a very light wind and a bit of a cloudy sky. The swell wasn't bad at all and the run out to the island was very pleasant. We spotted penguins and a Giant Petrel.

Jordan was so thrilled to discover that seals bleat like lambs. The island is very full at the moment, and  the constant cacophony of bleating was overcome by the horrible stench of the island of guano.

We waited around for an hour before the first shark appeared. Tamsyn shouted shark, shark, shark in this voice of amazement and awe. If you have never seen a shark up close and personal the effect on a person is awesome. The shark was a female, and just under 4m. It approached from the bow and lazily moved around the the stern( which is around 4 and a bit metres to give you a picture of how big 4m is).and went to inspect the bait that Wellington was handling.

It wasn't interested in the bait and then turned around and cruised into the depths. A few minutes later Rob shouted shark again and it had taken the second bait that we have below. We didnt get to see much, except a shadow as it swam away. A dead seal was floating by and another shark decided to have it for a snack. It first played with it like a cat plays with a mouse, tossing it into the air a good few times, rather gently I might add.

Another shark around 3m came to inspect the decoy, again just lightly mouthing it before moving to the bait. It was more interested in the tapping noise I was making on the side of the boat. This tapping we have found very effective as the great white is a rather curious animal. The female came again and stayed for a good while. Rob and Wellington had seen her in 2009 shark season. You can see the white band on her dorsal fin identifying her as her "fingerprint".

We returned around 12 as the navy had issued a warning that they where about to do a shooting excercise and we didnt feel like being a target for their practice. We where escorted by one of their boats back to make sure we where returning to the harbour.

Getting ready for shark season!

So, we took the boat out onto the hard for an expection . The propeller needed replacing. Great, that was not good news. Then we noticed a crack in the engine mounting. Yippee, more bad news. And to top it off we had to replace the gear box.
Well, it all has to get done. That's just life when you run a boat commercially, but it doesn't sit easy on the wallet!

Today has gone to upgrade his skipper's ticket. It has been a long time since he has been asked to write a test, and he has been practising his knot techniques, many which had been forgotten. Its glad to see an old dog can still learn new tricks...ha ha...he will kill me for calling him and old dog. Thank heavens I can run fast!!

Killing sharks to view great white sharks?

Killing sharks to view great white sharks?

African Shark Eco-Charters is an environmentally sensitive company. Although we make our living taking people to see sharks, our aim is to operate our operation with as little impact as possible on the great white sharks (and marine life).We do not believe in using any shark livers or part of the shark thereof to attract great white sharks.

Most livers are usually taken form Sevengill sharks, which are now fished commercially. Many shark viewing companies do use shark livers as attractants. From an ecotourism perspective this is completely wrong.Sharks are vulnerable to overexploitation and extinction. 100 million sharks are killed each year.Already 90% of the world's large shark populations already wiped out, sharks are being depleted faster than they can reproduce. This threatens the stability of marine ecosystems around the world. Sharks are vitally important apex predators. They have shaped marine life in the oceans for over 400 million years and are essential to the health of the planet.

Watching the sun rise over False Bay

I have just come back from the beach. I arrived there at 05.45. The light had begun to filter through and already the old folks were swimming ( that never fails to amaze me). Within 10 minutes other walkers and joggers arrived.
After my walk I decided not to head  to the gym but do another lap of the catwalk. As I was about to leave I saw the sun peaking over the mountains.  I sat down on the beach watch the sun rise over the calm sea of False Bay. It was breath taking. 

Its good to be alive!

Gonna check out my beauties with the Shark spotters

Woke up this early this morning and was at the beach before 6.I felt so good no, blessed, no super blessed to alive, and living in the "deep south" of Cape town. I walked for about 20 min greeting all the old ducks that swim every morning and then headed to the gym to cycle those extra snacks away. 

Went home feeling on top of the world, singing and praising and I knew that I would have a great day.

 We are spending the morning with the shark spotters tomorrow, bring your sunglasses and water, and lets wait for the great white beauties,to wink at us....

Our very colourful president

Here is a very good article. Nothing in SA now could ever suprise me!
Zuma and his love child

More shark predation pics

Here is a predation. It ended in a successful kill for the great white shark.

Here is some info on anti-predatory strategies of Cape Fur Seals at Seal Island.

From direct observation and the data collected, Cape Fur Seals apparently reduce their vulnerability to Great White Sharks by:
• taking advantage of the expanded vigilance of entire groups; sub-surface vigilance while rafting is accomplished via assuming a head-down posture, with only the tail and the tip of the rear flippers showing above the surface.

• leaving Seal Island as co-ordinated groups of 8 to 12 animals; multiple groups – ranging from 2 to as many as 5 - leave the island at intervals of approximately 45 seconds

• single or small groups (2-5) of individuals executing a finely controlled zig-zaging evasive manoeuver when a Great White Shark is spotted stalking below them; this tactic is referred to as “working the shark”

• when an individual is actively pursued by a Great White Shark, riding its slipstream – usually mid-body, at the level of its dorsal fin – to remain out of reach of the shark’s jaws; this tactic is referred to as “on the shark”

• when a group is “hit” (attacked) by a White Shark, the individual seals ‘explode’ from the water in all directions, presumably serving to confuse the predator – perhaps sufficiently to allow some or all of them to escape; this tactic is relatively infrequent but highly spectacular

• when an individual or group returns to the island, swimming the last 50 metes or so underwater, presumably because this tactic reduces vulnerability to attack by White Sharks

• when any or all of the aforementioned tactics fail and a predatory attack is successful, the surviving seals become extremely vigilant - often to the point of seeming momentarily stunned - but are, in fact, hyper-alert.

In short, the Cape Fur Seals’ main anti-predatory strategies rely on vigilance and agility