Been to busy for Shark Week

Oh shock, Oh horror, we haven't watched much of shark week.

I have been reading with amusement and concern the various blog's and there comments on Shark Week. So far many of blog posts have not been positive with the main concern that the sharks have been portrayed from the angle of a killer, with bloods and guts and gore.

Due to having little kids using every trick in the book, not to go to bed, or more like, not to stay in bed, TV &(shark week) has taken a back seat and so I cant comment on shark week.

Having had a few of shark week documentary's made with us, its is always interesting to watch them. We have very little to do with the filming, or what the production is about. The most important thing is that the sharks must not harmed or negatively impacted. Most of the crew we work with are friendly and professional. Some times the presenters off screen personalities are Jekyll and Hyde to their on-screen, but we just keep that to ourselves.

The BBC are busy doing a film on migratory birds. Basically, the low down is that on their journey interesting happenings occur. Here in False Bay, its the breaching and predations of the Great White Sharks.

Last Wednesday and Thursday, we had a fantastic two days of predatory activity. The shark activity was amazing with dozens of predations occurring. Those days the crew was interested in the birds and so they were not filmed. I think they got an awesome breach shot on Friday, if I am not mistaken.

The activity has been quiet slow since Saturday, with the sharks being lethargic and staying deep. Today is the first day this week we have been able to get to sea. The swell is still quiet big but we have had one very good breach this morning. The guys are heading back now and will possibly head out this afternoon again.

Today, I need to work on July's newsletter, doing some changes to the website which should keep me glued to the computer the entire day.

Hopefully be able to download any new pics Rob has taken. Maybe he captured that breach today?

Starting the film shoot with BBC

WE started a 10 day film shoot with John Downer Productions of the BBC.

Rob comes home late last night and asks where is their generator. Oh my hat. I have forgotten to order in. Thankfully we have a genie at home. Its huge and old, but it will do the job for today. I have to go collect the proper one today. Its at the other end of the world 1.5 hrs away and so I will be spending close to 4 hrs in the car later on as I will be coming back during rush hour traffic.

Give you a low down on how the first day went and an over all description of the shoot.

Notes from a recent filmshoot by Rob Jennings

We recently finished a 6 day shoot with Gurney Productions, filming for Discovery Channel.

One of the presenters who spent two days with us was Les Shroud from Survivor man. He was presenting a show about The most dangerous Great White Shark spots around the World.

The other presenter was Charles.( see pic below of us),a Special Forces Marine. His show was on the different feeding behaviors of the Great Whites around the world.
I was hoping that Charles would give us a grunt ( who-ha) and a marching song, as they do in those Hollywood movies…….but alas...... maybe another time.



Most days where pretty standard.....towing decoys, cage in the water and for the film crew.... chumming to bring the sharks up from the deep.

On one of the days it turned interesting when we had to use squid, kelp and a whole tuna to see which the sharks preferred.
To our disbelief the kelp was the first to be taken and eaten in a frenzy of tail thrashing, proving that the Great White goes for anything that resembles a seal in form shape.

The presenters were relaxed and enjoyable to work with, even though there was a lot of going over the lines again and again.
Once in the cage it was a different story, things were not so relaxed on one trip when visibility being poor and the sharks of about 4.5 m swimming around they were a little skittish and did not stay in the water long.

The weather over the period was outstanding for it being winter and the crew were content with their stock of film, making the six day shoot a success.