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Gansbaai: Shark diving
Posted by daveb on October 16th, 2008
Gansbaai is home to shark alley, visited great white sharks migrating between the two oceans. What better way to observe these marvelous/misunderstood/monstrous beasts (delete as necessary) than to lower ourselves into the confines of an underwater metal cage and bait them to charge at us with jaws agape. The water temperature was between 10-12 degree which, if you’re a diver, you’ll know is really
cold. So cold in fact, that it was very uncomfortable after just a few minutes. Worse too, was that the underwater visibility was less than 1.5 metres, our skippers worst in memory, so we had to pin our faces against the front of the cage to stand any chance of seeing the action. You can imagine the exhillaration of going from murky, murky, murky water to BIG OPEN-MOUTHED SHARK LUNGING TOWARDS MY FACE AT LESS THAN A METRE.
Temperature and visibility aside, we had a fabulous day out on the boat and were lucky to see so many sharks. We had an underwater camera with us, but haven’t yet developed the film so we’ll post another gallery when we do so. With visibility as it was, I’m not expecting any award-winning photos! Hope you enjoy the above-water shots below.
(Note to eco-warriors, you know who you are! There is a concern that the technique of ‘chumming’, pouring fish slurry into the water to attract the sharks, teaches them to associate humans with/as food. We were assured that the sharks that pass through these waters are migrating and so were never around long enough to make the link. In addition, we were assured that only fish parts were in the ‘chum’, in the past there have been suggestions that animal parts have been used — as far as we were told, this is not true. We don’t know exactly who or what to believe.)
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Comments
Comment from Beno
Time: October 17, 2008, 9:46 am
That looks…AMAZING! Great photos too – hoping some of the underwater photos will come out well too.
Would love to do that myself someday, if Aielen lets me!
Was hoping to go diving with Whale Sharks when we’re in Ningaloo, Western Australia, in a few weeks time, but is the wrong season. Next time…! All the best chaps…where to next?
Comment from daveb
Time: October 19, 2008, 8:09 am
@Beno:
Hi mate, it really was. Whilst it was quite exciting, it was also very safe. At no point did I feel insecure in the cage; a little cramped maybe, but very safe. Besides, if there was a cage failure, the people at either end would probably be fish food — I was in the middle!
Deffo send me your write-up of Nigaloo Reef — it’s our our rader too, but unfortunately not within your timeframe. I’m really excited for you going to Aus again. Can’t wait to get there myself, but also don’t want to miss too much of the good stuf in between.
Have a good one!
Comment from Mervin Alonza
Time: January 4, 2015, 5:21 pm
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