24/09/2017
Location: Joubertsdam
Water Temperature: 15.2°C + 15.4°C + 15.4°C
Depth: 8.6m + 9.0m + 8.9m
Visibility: 1.0m + 1.0m + 1.0m
Number of Sharks: 3 + 8 +
Conditions: Overcast skies but with little swell or wind.
It was great to be back on the water after two days off with some storms and unfavourable conditions moving through the area. We launched early and whilst it was overcast the conditions on sea were perfect with a slight swell and a tease of a wind. We were one of the first boats on anchor and only had moments to wait for our first sighting, which turned out to be one of our most frequently documented White sharks of the last 12 months, ‘Sarko’ a feisty 3.0m female that unfortunately disappeared when our second shark, a larger male appeared. This second shark stuck around of come time, before the changing wind direction so the boat and scent trail swinging around and we experienced a lessening in activity, however the Short-tailed stingrays kept things interesting until our third shark for the morning arrived, a tad bit larger version of ‘Sarko’, with similar scarring and also behaviour. This shark stuck with us for the rest of the trip along with a few Copper sharks cruising around before we made our way back to the harbour.
The second trip of the day was just as successful as the first with sharks appearing quickly and mostly consistently throughout. The Copper shark and Short-tailed stingrays also made an appearance from earlier, the White sharks that were seen on this trip however were not the same as the three this mornings’ trip had already seen but some new individuals.
Slashfin’s final trip was an exclusive for three guests visiting South Africa from California, USA. Hoping to make three successful trips out of three the crew and guests were excited to get back on to anchor and see what was around. Luck appeared to still be on our side with sharks yet again appearing quickly and the afternoon finishing well with some fantastic sightings. The trip ended with a cruise through Shark Alley and a closer look at the Cape Fur seal inhabitants of Geyser Rock.
A FIN-tastic way to end the week.
If you are looking to get up close and personal with the great white shark then Great White Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai, and more specifically with Marine Dynamics, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you won’t want to miss. Book and pay online with us and get a free video of your encounter with the world’s apex predator.
