Shark Alert (South Africa)

National Sea Rescue Institute

Sea Rescue – National – Wednesday, 18 August, 2010. WARNING – Shark activity close inshore.

The NSRI and Save Our Seas foundation are warning bathers, paddlers and surfers to be acutely aware that at this time of year sharks migrate towards the shoreline in search of food.

This morning in Plettenberg Bay, at around 07h30, Sea Rescue Plettenberg Bay volunteer, Sean Searle, while preparing to go for a surf with friends at Lookout Beach, was observing the wave sets. They watched 3 surfers, who were already in the water about 50 metres out. Two of the surfers ducked under a wave when a shark fin appeared close behind them. When the two surfers appeared on the other side of the wave both of these surfers sat up on their boards and watched as a White Shark circled around them. They used the next wave to paddle to shore.

No one was injured.

One of the surfers, Fanie Moller, from Plettenberg Bay, said that it appeared that the shark was about 3 metres in length.

The NSRI and Save Our Seas Foundation (in association with local Municipalities) are urging bathers, paddlers and surfers to be aware of this phenomenon (of sharks migrating closer towards shore) and to be extremely cautious.

Allison Kock, of Save Our Seas Foundation, confirmed that Seal Island in False Bay is now showing signs of a decreased shark population lending evidence to the fact that the sharks normally found around Sea Island are migrating closer towards the shoreline.

Studies have shown that this trend occurs at around this time of year.

We are asking bathers, paddlers and surfers to exercise extreme caution in our waters.

(Bathers and Surfers have been cleared from the sea by shark spotters at Muizenberg and at Fish Hoek on numerous occasions over the past week after sharks were spotted close inshore).

See also: http://www.sharkspotters.org.za/home.htm