Hello Hivers
A recent trip to S Africa in November was quite an adventure. Working on a shark research boat. Identifying, photographing and recording great white sharks to get an estimate of their numbers and understand their behaviour.
Chum is used to attract the sharks to the boat. Not like the movies where they use blood, it is actually fish oil and fat continually added to the ocean that the sharks follow the trail to the boat. A tuna head is used attached to a rope to keep them near the boat as we take pictures of the dorsal fin. The fin is like a fingerprint, every one being unique.
A go pro is used to determine their sex, and all information is recorded, entered into a database and used to determine their migration, and population to aid in conservation efforts.
The days were long, tiring but extremely rewarding, with stunning scenery, regular wildlife sightings, including, whales, seals, dolphins and even a penguin.
Other species of sharks were caught, hand fishing or with a rod and reel, such as catsharks, and smooth hounds. these were measured, tagged and muscle samples taken, to study the heavy metal accumulation in their bodies, then released, and all information again entered into a database.
Seeing so many great whites, then going diving was a bit concerning, but the biologists assured me it was fine, and the diving was terrific, I wish I had an underwater camera.
It was an amazing experience working on the research boat, and the month was over much too soon. Mossel Bay offers many other things to do, and on weekends we did a safari and exploring which are subjects for a future post.
Thanks for visiting Mossel Bay, S Africa with me.
Awesome that you got to see souch sharks and for a good cause! Are you a marine biologist?
Thank you! I am not a marine biologist just a volunteer who loves animals. Everyone else there was a biologist though. I appreciate your kind comment.
Sounds really interesting to experience that field of work! I might wanna study marine biology some day
The field work is exceptional! Especially if you like diving. I will definitely do something like that again. They are always looking for volunteers.
This is a really interesting read. I definitely didn’t know that dorsal fin is unique to each shark! That’s amazing because when you glance at them they all look the same!
Thank you! I learned a lot on that trip.
Thank you! I appreciate your continued support.
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seeing sharks up close is an amazing sight, it is truly an amazing experience
Thank you! It was a real thrill and unique learning experience.
WHOA how did you score such an awesome gig? Is your secret superpower that you are a biologist/zoologist?
Thanks for sharing.
Haha, thanks... I'm just an amateur biologists, and got lucky...lol....I'll post more from S Africa, was pretty amazing, but tough to top sharks...
Please send some of that luck if you can spare it! I look forward to more photos.
lol.. ok I will try my best to send you some... I do have some stunning pics coming up, the shoreline was amazing, and beaches... we had 6 great whites around the boat, people are swimming and surfing 900 yards away....we then went in for dinner and went night diving about 2 miles away..... they are all biologists and experts, said it was fine..lol...
You dove on a full stomach?? with sharks??!! lol
lol...never looked at it from that angle, but I was thinking there were 5 other people for them to choose from...lol...good odds....
I've actually read/heard that most shark attacks are mistaken identity, that we are not very tasty but when it's possible we could be a seal it's better to taste us and find out than miss out on such an easy target.
Incredible pictures I hallucinated with those of the sharks, incredible the value they have, what a great adventurer thanks for sharing it with us, greetings 🫂.
It was a great adventure, Thank you for your kind comment!