open
<
1/7
  • Shark cage diving in Gansbaai, South Africa with Marine Dynamics. Experience the exceptional and come face to face with a great white shark! 

  • The exact world record white shark is a contested issue, but chances are it is between 6-7m. In Gansbaai, the largest white shark ever caught was at Danger Point and measured up to 5.9m.

  • If you see a white shark in the water don’t panic. Chances are high that the shark has already detected you and isn’t interested. White shark attacks are normally associated with poor visibility, so avoid murky conditions.

  • White sharks have a unique system called a “counter current heat exchange”, which keeps their body  tempreture +/- 7C above the surrounding water temperature. 

  • All sharks have an incredibly unique system on the tip of their nose called the “ampillae of Lorenzini”. These are small pores filled with a gel that transmits the electrical currents in the water to the shark’s brain so that it can assess its environment.

  • White sharks give birth to live young (not eggs), and they give birth to 6-8 pups at one time. Pups are usually between 1.0-1.5m in length and are born with teeth.

  • Body language has been a well documented form of shark communication and has identified body arching, jaw gaping, and other postures as specific social tactics.

>

Sharkwatch SA Blog

Book Now

Orca Book Launch with Richard Peirce

Thursday, November 07, 2019 |  0 Comment

Author: Marine Dynamics (Shark Cage Diving Company)
Marine Dynamics is a Shark Cage Diving company based in Kleinbaai, a small harbour town, part of Gansbaai in the Western Cape of South Africa. This area is known as a hotspot for the Great White Shark and the best place in the world to see and dive with these iconic creatures in their natural environment.

The tale of Port and Starboard, two orcas, who patrol the South African coastline, and have been linked to predation on seven-gill sharks and great white sharks in 2017, inspired Richard Peirce’s latest book, ‘Orca’. The town of Gansbaai, known as the White Shark Capital of the World, and the characters involved in this event, will give readers an insight how nature can never be taken for granted. Richard also touches on the threats that sharks face from man, infinitely worse than that of two orcas.

The book launch took place in partnership with Marine Dynamics and the Dyer Island Conservation Trust at the Great White House in Gansbaai. Owner of Marine Dynamics Wilfred Chivell is a key figure in the book along with Alison Towner, the Trust’s biologist who conducted the necropsies on the deceased white sharks. Richard thanked all those who helped in the production of the book and spoke to his guests about a movie he has been working on related to the lion bone trade - the subject of his previous book ‘Cuddle Me, Kill Me’. Richard’s books touch on sensitive environmental topics such as rhino poaching and elephant conservation. As a previous chairman of the Shark Conservation Society (UK), Richard is particularly passionate about sharks and has previously documented the story of ‘Nicole’ – a white shark that travelled to Australia and back. Richard has seen first-hand the impact of the fin trade on various shark species. He was particularly fascinated by the orca predation, an event never before documented in South Africa, that caused a flight response in white sharks, and interesting changes to the ecosystem.

In real-time though, Gansbaai has been enjoying sightings of white sharks again, as well as the bronze whaler (copper) sharks that have been visiting the area. Keep up to date on Marine Dynamics daily blog.

Special thanks to PenguinRandomHouse-Struik Nature and Porcupine Ridge Wine.
Orca is available at the great White House and South African bookstores or available on Amazon. 


















comments powered by Disqus