The waters of South Africa are renowned for their Great White Shark activity. It is especially intense during these winter months. Near where we are staying in False Bay guide Chris Fallows operates a tour out of Simonstown. He has gained notoriety as he is one of only two operators on the west side of the bay that have permits to do tours around Seal Island while towing decoys to entice breaching. This is also the only documented place in the world where Great Whites breach. This area was made famous by the super slow motion high definition footage of a Great White breaching and taking a seal from mid air in the Discovery Channel series Blue Planet. Fallows pictures populate the internet, clutter local post card stands and even adore the walls of McFarlane’s enterprise.
McFarlane’s boat can take 40 sightseers and a crew of eight. They have an eight person shark cage that is lowered into the water and then tied to the side of the boat. Like big tasty treats, eight ‘divers’ cram shoulder to shoulder into the length of the cage. The waterborne safari goers take a gasp of air and under the direction of the captain and crew plunge underwater to peer at the mighty creatures as they are lured toward the cage by a floating seal replica and dead fish used as bait.
5mm wetsuits, complete with booties and hood, protect you from the 14 degree C water and a dive mask provides a clear view. As the lures are pulled closer to the cage and ultimately away the prehistoric beasts thrash and bang into the side of the cage and at times when missing the bait grind their teeth on the bars of the cage. It was such a time warp I have no idea how long it took everything to happen, but I went in the cage twice. I would guess for 15 0r 20 minutes (my peers suspect longer) we saw 10-12 Great White Sharks from 2-4 meters long each time. Some were in the distance (3-4 meters away), some close (0 meters) and while we were told to not touch the sharks the sharks were obviously not instructed to not touch the tourists. As I looked
to my right and watched as one jutted its nose through the bars right at Quinn and Laurence, its pectoral fin had slid between the bars and brushed against my hands as they clutched the hand rail that I was using to hold myself under. As it brushed me I startled and let go of the bar and threw myself against the back of the cage out of harms way. IT WAS AWESOME!
But of course the nine of us, including eight photographers, had countless cameras but no underwater housings. As is the case all too often I have a camera stuck in front of my face as I plunge myself into all sorts of experiences in my life. But this time I relegated myself to consume the experience and absorb it and commit it to memory. It was such a surreal situation I can’t believe it happened. I considered it a once in a lifetime opportunity but if I ever find myself in the situation to do it again I would do it again in a heartbeat. I just hope it wouldn’t be my last.
The Seals are the ultimate lure for the Great Whites in the alley. Attribute it to the circle of life.
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