PREDATOR PLAY TIME

08 January 2012 - 02:16 By Claire Keeton and Marianne Schwankhart
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Claire Keeton and Marianne Schwankhart feel the love while staring into the jaws of great white sharks

CAGE diving is an effective way to observe the ocean's top predator and promote conservation of the species, despite the controversy about whether it encourages attacks on surfers and swimmers.

  •  WILDLIFE WONDER

Seal Island, about a kilometre from the shore of Mossel Bay, is a hunting ground for great white sharks and tourists have about an 80% chance of spotting them on a shark-diving or -viewing trip.

A handful of foreign tourists, Marianne and I went out with White Shark Africa - the only shark-diving operator on the Garden Route.

The crew dropped anchor near the island, which is crammed with barking Cape fur seals. Not long after throwing fish blood into the sea and a line with a tuna head, the great whites came gliding up to the boat.

They typically approached underwater close to the bars of the cage, and one huge adult bumped it and made divers shake, literally and figuratively. Instinctively I withdrew my hands from an inside rail closest to the bars even though I knew the shark wasn't a threat.

We felt a sense of wonder watching this giant, endangered predator up close.

  •  SHARK DIVING & VIEWING

You can go cage diving without being a qualified diver, or you can view the sharks from the 11m boat. Cage diving involves pulling yourself down to the floor of a floating cage and holding your breath while you watch the sharks. The cage is attached to the boat and has enough space above the surface to allow you to stand up and breathe easily.

The boat ride from Mossel Bay harbour is about 10 minutes and the water temperature ranges from 15 to 24°C; wetsuits are provided. If you prefer to stay dry, viewing sharks from a platform above the cabin or from the deck of the "Shark Warrior" is an excellent alternative.

I have also been cage diving at Gansbaai, near Hermanus, and we saw an impressive number of great white sharks on that trip, too.

  •  SHARKS ENDANGERED

Sharks die when their fins are cut off, and humans are annihilating them. Finned sharks sink unseen to the sea bed to die. An estimated 150 million sharks are killed every year, warn White Shark Africa and they face the threat of extinction unless conservation becomes a priority.

Cage diving allows people the chance to appreciate the power of sharks in their element and understand why they are a vital link in the ocean's food chain.

Opponents of cage diving and chumming to attract sharks say it disturbs the animals' natural behaviour and teaches them to associate humans with food. One surfer compared it to dragging the corpse of a buck around the Kruger National Park to attract lions.

But shark experts like Ryan Johnson from Oceans Research - who conducted a study that found chumming does not increase attacks on humans - accepts shark diving as a compromise that promotes the awareness of the species, helps to collect data and raises funds for shark research.

  • Bookings: Tel: 0446913796 or 0824552438, e-mail sharkafrica@mweb.co.za, or see www.sharkafrica.co.za.
  • Cost: For South Africans R950 per person if you pay cash, or R1050 by credit card. You get a voucher for a free trip if you don't see any sharks when you go out on the two- to four-hour boat ride.
  •  SLEEPING IN A 'LIGHTHOUSE'

The Point Village Hotel has spacious self-catering apartments and en-suite rooms in the popular tourist area of Mossel Bay, the Point. The apartment we shared had two stylish bedrooms and a sunny open-plan kitchen/living room with a balcony. Choose an apartment on the street side overlooking the sea.

The front of the Point Village Hotel resembles a red lighthouse - it is not far from a real lighthouse on the Point - and the interior has original African artwork and mosaics which brighten up the space.

  • Bookings: Tel 0446903156; e-mail stay@pointvillagehotel.co.za or see www.pointvillagehotel.co.za
  • Cost: From R290 per person sharing (not valid in peak season until March). Single: R360 per room; Double/Twin: R580 per room (R290 per person sharing. Options include 16 suite rooms with small kitchenette; six two-bedroom suites; and six three-bedroom apartments.
  •  COFFEE & MOJITOS

The smell of baking infuses D'Bistro coffee shop in Mossel Bay, which is one of the best places to eat out.

The food is made with care and attention to detail, and our breakfasts - including home-baked croissants, home-made jam and cappuccinos - were just right. The coffee shop and deli also has delicacies and gifts for sale.

Delfino's restaurant on the Point has a perfect location overlooking the sea, but the breakfast fare was unremarkable. It's a good venue for sundowners.

Cafe Havana is a good meeting spot for cocktails and snacks. The décor in an old house with large balconies conjures up a Latin vibe.

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