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.
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.
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....
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
Just going through some of our great white shark pics to add to the website.
Here is a typical early morning scene, where a great white shark has made a succerssful predation on a cape fur seal. The gulls are hovering waiting their turn for their scraps.
Rob and I have been really busy this week. We open our new white shark bookings office on Monday, and have been working on getting the old office repainted and looking spiffy for the hand over with the landlord. Rob has also had his hands full looking for a new marina for us, sorting out expired skippers licenses and running around getting quotes for the transfer bus that some idiot drove into and didn't bother to stop!
Rob went to a Shark Working Group meeting on the 25th. The aim was to discuss the fatal great white shark attack in Fish Hoek on the 12 January, the events around the attack and possible improvements and suggestions and comment regarding the shark attack in Cape Town.
To sum up the meeting it was pretty much what the media release contained!
Since the death of my mom on New Years day, my energy levels have been really low and I have been struggling to cope with meetings, kids play dates, being a mom and trying to run a business.Our new bookings assistant starts on Monday, which will free me up to focus on updating our website and a hopefully give me a bit of a break. This sadly wont happen right away as with all new staff, training, training and more training is needed.
The bookings for "AIRJAWS" great white shark breaching trips have been great this week and we are working at sewing up 2 film shoots over peak season.
Rob is out watching Rugby with the boys. Good for him, as he wont get to see his buddies much when shark season comes! It has also given me a chance to curled up with a glass of wine and a great book.The kids are asleep and all is well in the Lawrence home........back to that book!
Just busy sorting our new pics for the newsletter.
I haven't written a newsletter for ages. Not sure why, maybe its because I receive so many newsletters that I simply hit the delete button, and so I cant really see the point of sending out one myself only to have someone like me delete, delete, delete.
Our transfer side of the business seems to be taking off. Its still really early days. Wellington has been doing quiet a few Eastern Cape trips over the Christmas period. This "taxi" side has certainly been an eye opener for me. Not only have we ferried passengers we have also carried 2 couches and a 2 coffins so far for funeral trips. These trips are called "special" trips. Its quiet involved with having to sort out death certificates etc to have the correct papers to transport a coffin.
Got a phone call yesterday saying Wellington had a fender bender. Great stuff! Just waiting now to see the extent of the damage.
All quiet on the home front regarding the shark attack last week. Perhaps the devastation in Haiti has kept the media from focusing more on this incident.
We went to the beach yesterday with the kids. Its amazing how much fun kids can have just running in and out of the surf. Adam received a red swimming cap for Christmas and so he has to take it to the beach with him. He looks so darn funny in his little spider man costume and a swimming cap.
We are thinking of perhaps moving. Now that we have another staff member working from my office at home space is of a premium.
We had a look at some homes in Noordhoek yesterday. They were totally overpriced and really not great at all. We would still have to spend a fortune converting them to our needs.
Great White Shark Attack in Fish hoek- The Media Release
Following the tragic fatal shark attack on Mr Lloyd Skinner on Tuesday 12th January 2010 at Fish Hoek beach, the City of Cape Town undertook an intensive review of the events leading up to and following the attack.
The purpose of the review is threefold:
1)To ascertain the correct facts so that these may be provided to the media and public so as to end ongoing speculation and incorrect perceptions;
2)To review the events as they unfolded to assess the effectiveness of the emergency response to this traumatic event; and
3)To identify any areas or aspects that may reduce the risk of similar events occurring in the future.
In addition it is hoped that by making these facts available to the public, the ongoing speculation in the media, which must be difficult for the victims’ family, will come to an end.
Through a process of eye-witness interviews, collaboration of information from specialists and collation of highly credible information, the following has been concluded:
Mr Lloyd Skinner was attacked by a Great White Shark at 15:31 on Tuesday 12th January 2010 at Fish Hoek beach. At the time of the attack Mr Skinner was swimming (and not standing as previously reported) in a direction parallel to the beach. At the time of the attack there were approximately 12-15 other bathers in the water. Mr Skinner was significantly further out (in deeper water) than the other bathers and was some distance away from the other bathers. We have been able to ascertain that a large school of fish was in the close vicinity to Mr Skinner and we are of the opinion that this school of fish is an important factor in drawing the shark into the area.
The shark attacked Mr Skinner from the sea-ward side in a very aggressive manner, demonstrating a predatory response. It approached from the deeper water underneath Mr Skinner and was only visible on the surface as it attacked the victim. This is consistent with natural predatory behaviour of Great White sharks in that they approach the victim without being seen. Following the initial strike, the shark made a further five to six passes of the area, after which it moved off in the direction of Kalk Bay.
Facts of relevance:
The victim was swimming at the time of the attack and not standing as had been previously reported.
The victim was swimming some distance further out than any of the other bathers.
The victim was some distance from the other 12-15 bathers in the water at the time.
A large school of fish was in the direct vicinity of the victim (it is likely that the shark was following the school of fish).
On reviewing the Shark Spotting Programme the following was determined:
·Two Shark Spotters were on duty: one at the mountain lookout and a second in the beach hut on Fish Hoek beach
·At the time of the attack, the Shark Spotting supervisor (Mr Monwabisi Sikweyiya) was present in the beach hut completing daily log forms.
·Conditions for shark spotting at the time of the attack were not ideal. This is confirmed by the high wind speed (69km/h form a SSE direction), resulting in choppy conditions and intermittent cloud cover. Water colour at the time of the attack was considered fair. At the time of the attack the Shark Spotters Black Flag was being flown indicating to beach users these limitations in spotting ability.
·The Shark Siren as well as the radios were in working order.
In reviewing the Shark Spotting Programme the following must be noted:
·Fish Hoek Bay is a large area and the mountain Shark Spotter is required to survey the entire bay and does not focus only on the Jaggers Walk area.
·It is unreasonable to expect 100% concentration from the spotters at all times. Shark Spotters are expected to scan the entire bay area repeatedly at regular intervals.
In the review the Shark Spotters acknowledged that they did not see the shark or the initial attack take place.
It is noted that:
·The spotting conditions were not ideal and were limited by significant wind induced chop as well as intermittent cloud cover and the associated shadows cast on the water.
·The shark attack was sudden and explosive. All indications are that the shark emerged from deep water where it was not visible and attacked the victim within seconds once it was on the surface.
·All eye-witness accounts from elevated positions indicate that the shark was not visible prior to the attack.
However, the review notes that the water quality was such that, had the Shark Spotter on duty been looking at the specific area where the attack took place at the moment that the shark surfaced, the shark would not have been visible to the spotter. However, this review is of the very strong opinion that had the spotter seen the shark prior to the attack, there would not have been any time to warn the bathers before the shark attacked the victim. The shark emerged from deeper water in a predatory mode and attacked the victim within seconds. The review is of the firm position that, had the spotter seen the shark, the fatal attack would not have been avoided.
Emergency Response
The attack took place in a matter of seconds and lasted approximately 3 minutes. Following the attack, the lifesavers actively cleared the remaining swimmers from the water, contacted the Shark Spotters at the Shark Spotting Hut to ascertain what the situation was and notified the National Search and Rescue Institute (NSRI) and Emergency Services. The Shark Flag was raised at the lifesaving club. Within 20 minutes Mr Ian Kloppers of the NSRI and EMT Emergency Services were on the beach and took control of all rescue operations. Two NSRI boats as well as the rubber duck from the lifesaving club were launched to search for the victim while a helicopter arrived on scene to conduct an aerial search. The search for the victim continued until 7pm at which point it was terminated due to poor conditions. The search provided no recovery of the victim or any sightings of the shark.
Officials from the City, NSRI, Western Province Lifesaving, Shark Spotters and Save Our Seas Shark Centre all convened at the site within 30 minutes of the attack and worked in a co-ordinated fashion to collect eyewitness statements, gather all relevant information and disseminate accurate information to the public and media.
Shark Information
Shark sightings recorded by the Shark Spotters over the last five years are included below for further information. In addition it must be noted that shark warning media alerts were issued by the City of Cape Town and the NSRI throughout the summer. More specifically, warnings about a spike in the number of white shark sightings in the inshore area of False Bay were provided through the NSRI on Sunday the 10th January and via the City’s Festive Season Alerts on the morning of Tuesday the 12th January. These warnings explicitly indicated to the public that there was a high incidence of white shark sightings in the inshore area and that beach users should be particularly vigilant and cautious.
Permanent shark signs are present at Fish Hoek beach, including:
a)An indication of the natural presence of these predators in the waters of Cape Town;
b)The Shark Spotting Flag and Warning System.
Review Findings
Based on this review the following conclusions are drawn:
Shark Spotters were on duty, the black flag was being flown indicating poor spotting conditions, the lifesaving club was on duty, and warnings of increased presence of white sharks had been provided on Sunday 10th January as well as on the morning of Tuesday 12th January. The victim was swimming relatively far out and well away from the other bathers in the proximity of a large school of fish.
It is the position of this review that, within reasonable means, the fatal and tragic shark attack could not have been avoided.
Recommendations
The Shark Spotting Programme remains an effective early warning system for the presence of Great White sharks at recreational beaches. The Shark Spotting Programme has, from the outset, never been considered a 100% effective safety strategy and acknowledges in the “Finding a Balance Report” of 2006 that limitations to the effectiveness include human error, visibility challenges and external conditions (wind, cloud, chop). Since its inception, Shark Spotters have recorded over 570 shark sightings and effectively cleared the beach, reducing the risk of shark attacks at beaches where they are operational. The Shark Spotting Programme must continue to be supported.
The City should increase the size and visibility of shark information signage along its coastline.
The City should consider mobile/temporary signage that could be erected on the beach and complement media alerts during times of high Great White shark presence.
The Shark Siren must be able to be sounded from the Lifesavers’ Tower. This must be rectified immediately.
The Shark Spotting Programme should invest further in emergency training of its staff regarding dealing with shark attacks. Practise / mock attacks should be conducted in conjunction with the NSRI and Western Province Lifesaving
The City must, through its formal relationship with white shark researchers from the Save Our Seas Foundation and the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, remain abreast of possible development of new technologies that would increase the level of safety across our coastline.
This is the second fatal attack in almost the exact location (Ms Webb was fatally attacked in November 2004 in the same area). It is recommended that the City install permanent signage in the area between the Galley Restaurant and Jaggers Walk and along Jaggers Walk indicating that it is unsafe for bathing due to shark presence and encouraging bathers to use the area closer to the lifesaving club for swimming.
The City should recommend to its communities (especially surfers and kayakers) that they have the choice to use personal shark shields. Scientifically reviewed tests conducted by the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board have shown these to be effective in deterring Great White sharks, although they are not guaranteed to be 100% effective.
The data from the receivers located on the ocean floor in Fish Hoek must be downloaded by Save Our Sea researchers to assess whether the shark involved in the attack can be identified from a tag.
The City once again extends its condolences to the family and friends of Mr Lloyd Skinner on this tragic event
Finally, it is imperative that it is clearly stated and understood by all that Great White Sharks are naturally occurring species in our waters. Although rare, sharks and shark attacks remain a part of our landscape, despite our best efforts.
We waited until today to publish this post as we wanted to get all the info first.
We got the sad news about 30 min after the shark attack in Fish Hoek, and the phone kept ringing non stop there after.
Yesterdays weather was miserable. It was very windy, the sea was a mess and there had been shark warnings issued that morning. At about 3pm a 37-year-old Zimbabwean man Lloyd Skinner, was neck deep in the water when he was attacked.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), the police and members of the public, armed with binoculars, have been searching for Skinner's body since the attack. So far only his swimming goggles have been found. Our friend Ian Kloppers, who heads up the medical rescue for the NSRI, said the shark attacked Lloyd, bit him and turned around and came back again. This is not usual for a great white to do this, normally it is a case of mistaken identity, one bite and that is it, but it isnt unheard of that a great white shark will totally consume a human, as in the case of Fish Hoek resident Tyna Webb, 77, was killed by a shark near Sunny Cove in November 2004.
What is most interesting is that despite the media trying to hype things up, the public perception towards the great white shark has changed enormously, and we salute this change!
Almost everyone is saying that we are entering the ocean, which is the sharks territory and you take a risk at being attacked by a shark or stung by blue bottles, etc.( UNLIKE the Australian governement who is wanting to saw off shark's heads and use shot guns on sharks!).
This is very different to 2004 when the media was screaming for shark nets, people wanted to bait chickens with glass and feed it to the sharks and everyone wanted to blame anything and everyone including us!
Its true, we do need to be careful when entering the ocean. The sharks move inshore in summer, and the tourists and numbers of people entering the sea, increases dramatically over the festive season. You are more likely going to get hurt or killed getting to the beach than by a shark.
Our thoughts are with Lloyds family and friends right now. Its a horrible thing to happen.
Respect the sea. Respect the animals in the sea and lets be kind this year and respect each other.
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