shark

A while ago we were sent the “Great White Following Sea Kayak” photo by someone who asked where it was taken and whether it was indeed genuine. Surfski.info published it and a lively debate resulted with the consensus of opinion being that the photo was a fake.

 

It’s not a fake. After unsuccessfully trying to find the photo on the Internet, I resorted to sending emails to shark tourism companies and one of them finally pointed me at the photographer who took the shot...

 

Sunday 6th February 2006: Gordon's Bay, Cape Town, South Africa
(by Rob Mousley)

The Sunday race was cancelled because a gale force southeaster was blasting False Bay at 40kts or more. Undaunted, Daantjie Malan and Clifford Binedell decided to do the 18km Gordon's Bay to Monwabisi downwind run in their Fenn Millennium double ski instead. They were joined by friends in another two double skis.

The pair had come prepared: lifejackets, body leashes, flares and a fair bit of experience: Daantjie, a 45 year-old from Strand, has just done the 2005 Men's Health Cape Point Challenge, a 56km paddle known as the toughest ski race in the world, finishing third in the Veterans category. Clifford (also 45) from Stellenbosch, has done several Cape Points and with Matthew van Heerden won the 2004 Discovery Men's Health Doubles Series. These are strong, experienced paddlers.

They arrived on the beach at Gordon's Bay at about 10h00. The bay itself was flat but the wind was so strong it was lifting spray off the water and the sea was covered with a smoky haze. Further out, False Bay was a maelstrom of white water, the tops of the 3 to 4m swells being blown off in streamers of spume.

 

Trevor Wright's kayak was attacked by a Great White shark off Sunny Cove beach on Saturday. He was not hurt, but has no intention of going back into the water soon. Great Whites have been spotted hugging the coast in False Bay as the predators move away from their winter feeding ground off Seal Island.