Sharks and Shark Attacks

Every year in Cape Town, South Africa there is a festival showing surf movies at beaches around the Cape peninsula in aid of saving the Great White Shark.

Today the beaches are closed because one of those Great White’s had been prowling around our beautiful beaches and went as far as attacking and killing a man on holiday from Harare. Residents were shocked. The search was on, but all that was found were a pair of goggles 100m from the shore, which he had been adjusting at the time of the attack. There were other bathers just 15 meters away who were oblivious to the situation. Eventually they heard shouts, telling them to get out the water. As they paddled their way to the shore all they sore was a blood stain in the middle of the ocean.

A witness said he saw a fin and saw it turn around in a complete circle. After that..blood. It looked like the attack was over until the shark came back for the second time and this time lifted Mr Skinner out of the water. The Shark came back one more time before disappearing into deeper waters, leaving a pool of blood behind. Onlookers said the Great White measured at least 5 meters in length.

Before this incident, lifesaver, Achmat Hassiem, 24 lost a foot in 2006 on Muizenberg Beach

In November 2004 Tyna Webb, 77 was killed while swimming alone on Fish Hoek Beach

In April 2004 surfer, JP Andrew lost his leg in an attack involving a Great White Shark on Muizenberg Beach where he was dragged underneath the water and barely survived.

Since this time Shark Spotters have been employed to track the wareabouts using binoculars to scan the ocean for sharks and by doing so keeping the swimmers out of danger, using sirens and flags when sharks are too close for comfort has been working well. The Shark spotters, however seem to have missed this incident, hampered by the murkiness of the waters. In the warm waters of Durban there are strategically placed shark nets to prevent the unthinkable from happening. This has been successful, but has been ruled out in the False Bay area saying the seas are too rough for nets to cope with.

Since that there are 1000’s of people swimming everyday and with just one serious attack since 2004 the network of shark spotters have obviously been doing a remarkable job.

70-100 shark attacks are occurring every year with another 5-15 resulting in deaths. Swimmers and surfers are the more the target for these attacks, which occur fairly close to the shore or between sandbars. Most of the time the shark mistakes the human for something else, thereby with one bite it is off.

Stay out of the water at dusk and dawn

Stay out of murky water

Stay out of water that has fish waste or human waste in it

Don’t swim in high-contrast clothing eg. Orange and yellow and shiny jewellery also looks like fish scales.

Leave the water quickly and calmly if you spot a shark

Don’t splash excessively

If you feel something brush against your legs then get out the water.