SA: Gansbaai – Shark Diving

November 12, 2000

Gansbaai is a fishing town and popular tourist destination in the Overberg District Municipality, Western Cape, South Africa. It is known for its dense population of great white sharks (15 / day on average) and as a whale-watching location. A noticeable decline in great white shark sightings was observed from the beginning of 2017. The first half of that year saw multiple extended periods completely void of great white shark sightings in the area, something that was not recorded in the 15 years that the team has been collecting near-daily observational data on this species. There are two prominent theories. One is the recent appearance of a pod of orcas, or killer whales, in Gansbaai and False Bay, which specialises in hunting large, coastal sharks like white sharks. This has scared off the great whites. The other is the decline of white shark food from intensified fishing of small shark species, such as smooth-hound and soupfin sharks. Sightings in 2022 are sporadic.

🙂 Massive 6m + Great Whites in 2000

🙁 Great white shark size numbers really depleted by 2010

2000

The first opportunity I had to go shark diving was in 2000 when I was in Somerset West and Oupa was in the hospice there. A chap called Mike Ritzen was running research on Great Whites and their dispersal. When we arrived in Gansbaai we were quite shocked at the chicken wire cage and were rather dubious as to whether it could withstand the force of a shark bite! It was a truly humbling experience. The first shark was longer than our boat – in excess of 6m! I did not even feel the cold. Chum (fish blood to attract the sharks) was added to the water and a decoy seal used near to the cage so that we saw the full face of the shark going for the bait – just incredible to be in the water with these giants. On the opposite boat a shark actually did bite the cage and the poor man’s stools released in his wetsuit as he was so frightened! I am pleased that I only found out about this after the event or else I may not have gone into the water…

2010

I had met Pierre, my Father’s half brother at his funeral again after thirty years and he had kindly invited us to Gansbaai to their holiday home. We had a very pleasant drive via Plett Bay. While we were having sundowners Southern Right whales were breaching – magnificent!

The night before we went shark diving I read a magazine left in our bedroom describing the ill fated trip in 2008 when three tourists died when a freak wave hit their boat and they drowned in the shark infested waters – I had nightmares. Fortunately the sea was calm and my fears were abated! We used the services of Marine Dynamics who were a professional operation.

Fortunately the cages appeared to be a little more robust than my previous experience! We did not have to wait long for the sharks to arrive and saw three different individuals – not as large as on previous trip. Exhilerating!