|
| Freediving with Trevor Hutton and Cowsharks |
| 1 February 2012, 16:36 |
|
| |
Wanting to learn to freedive has been a goal of mine for the past 13 years. It started one sunny South African day in False Bay when I snorkeled down and sat on the sand glancing up at the beautiful kelp forest that surrounded me while practicing to hold my breath. At that time there were no freediving teachers in Cape Town so I bought the only book I could find on the subject and started to teach myself. A mere month later and after only a few sessions in the ocean unexpected events prevented me from pursuing it any further.
Many years later, and while on SCUBA, I would often watch those freedivers who joined me on shark dives around the world with awe. They looked so graceful, flowing through the water with the sharks around them, while I felt weighed down by my SCUBA gear. I was envious of their skill and felt compelled to explore a new dimension to diving.
 I’m one of those people that believes in learning only from the best and good friend Jeff Ayliffe told me about Trevor Hutton, a South African freediving champion and the only South African to have broken official world records. Jeff had done Trevor’s freediving course and raved about it. So in 2008 I got hold of Trevor, went for my dive medical and planned to do his next course. Unfortunately work pressures at the shark centre I had just created got in the way and I had to cancel. It was only when I got to the Bahamas in 2011 that I reawakened my desire and need to learn to freedive competently.
It was clear to me while freediving with the sharks and the gregarious spotted dolphins of the Bahamas that I needed help. With improved technique I knew I would be able to stay down longer, and feel more confident in the water, and in particular amongst the sharks. I would also be able to get shots of the animals in a way I had not been able to, them coming curiously much closer to me without the interference of bubbles.
In the meanwhile, and since my first attempt to do Trevor’s course, I had heard that Trevor, being who he is, taught many already competent freedivers. Since I was a mere beginner I felt intimidated so I explored the possibility of doing a course with other instructors whose professional portfolios were far less overwhelming to me. But while their courses seemed to focus on breath hold, what Trevor promised to teach me was far more appealing: techniques that would make me a better diver, one that could handle things if they went wrong, one that was in tune with her environment, confident and capable in the water. This is exactly what I wanted to learn, especially given the animals I mostly dive with and the local, often challenging sea conditions. Three years later I gave Trevor a call again, and a few weeks later I was on his next course.
Nervous at first, I braced myself for what I thought would be a tough course. But not only did Trevor turn out to be the most patient and thorough instructor, who offered a top class course, but he was able to judge my abilities and pushed me only as far he knew I could go – often a lot further than I knew I could go myself. The course included theory lessons, pool sessions and Blue Rock sessions where skills were honed, and then, what I had done it all for, ocean sessions! Soon I found myself stretching my lungs and holding my breath till they burned to stay down with the cowsharks of False Bay – heaven! Returning to the Bahamas remains my dream to really practice my new skills…
Do I now consider myself a freediver? No, it takes a lot more than what I have done to wear that label, plus I have equalizing challenges to overcome. Besides I’ll always be first and foremost a SCUBA diver, needing bottom time to support my private obsession, underwater photography. In addition, getting to know Trevor and meeting and diving with other freedivers, including Trevor’s friend, Herbert Nitsch, I recognize them to be in a class of their own. But for certain I have learned skills and a new way of the water which I feel driven to improve upon further – there truly is nothing comparable to only a breath of air in my lungs, the precious water against my skin, the stillness, and the sharks and fish fearlessly close – it is then in that silence that I really get to hear the Ocean and feel at one with Her.
With the records he holds and his years of experience, which surpasses any other South African freediving instructor, and the fact that he is also an awesome person, I highly recommend Trevor's course – contact him via his website to find out when he is running the next one http://www.trevorhutton.co.za/
Thanks to Coral Wetsuits for my awesome red Shark Warrior wetsuit!
Watch my space!
|
| |
| share this blog |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
share this blog |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| Rethinking the Fish Hoek shark attack |
| 14 October 2011, 10:35 |
|
| |
Let me begin by saying I am truly sorry that a shark harmed a man recently in my home village, Fish Hoek. I feel for the man, his family, and for the sharks. After reading the facts of the incident I am left with one big question: If someone warned you repeatedly that there was a lion in a park and if you walked about, there was a good chance you’d be attacked, would you still do it? No, you wouldn’t!
There’s one thing to be bitten by a shark without any warnings that it might be around, but to be warned that a shark is present and still choose to enter the water and then get bitten, well now that's plain foolish. This is exactly what happened in the last two cases at Fish Hoek Beach. Why did these people do it? Their behaviour appears to be totally irresponsible, irresponsible toward their families, toward the local Fish Hoek small business community eking out a living and tourism plummeting as a result, and irresponsible toward these majestic animals that are teetering on the edge of extinction, and which they have helped to brand as man-eaters.
In the first case, which took place in Jan 2010, I heard that Lloyd Skinner had emailed his mother that day to say he would see her later but not before he went for a swim at Fish Hoek Beach, AND he added, he had read the warnings of the high frequency of shark sightings in the area and was concerned, and yet he still went for his fatal swim, apparently close to a shoal of fish.
This latest case was another act of irresponsibility – Michael Cohen, apparently a frequent swimmer of the bay and apparently also a frequent ignorer of the Shark Spotters warnings not to swim when the beach was closed, as it was that day, still chose to do so. It cost him his leg. And it cost sharks a very bad rap, resulting in a tsunami of ignorant reactions from many members of the public, including gung-ho, testosterone-driven males wanting to ‘hunt the shark down’ (as if they would be able to determine the ‘culprit’ from any other shark. White sharks are also one of the only protected shark species in South Africa, a country comparatively far behind protecting its sharks due to local fishery department’s total inadequacies and inertia - but that’s another story for later - and it’s against the law to kill a white shark, if caught it can result in a two year imprisonment and/or a R50 000 fine).
To set straight the stream of self-proclaimed shark experts opinions which offer impractical/ignorant solutions to what they perceive as a problem, note that for biological reasons white shark populations cannot explode; that there is no scientific evidence that sharks become rogue animals and hunt people; that shark nets are not barriers but fishing devices, which indiscriminately kill marine animals, including whales and dolphins and therefore not recommended for Cape Town; and that culling some sharks is not an absolute solution as one remaining shark can still bite.
I reflect back to Tyna Webb, also a regular swimmer of the bay, that was killed by a shark in 2004 in the same place and recall the now monotonous tune being sung then already: I had rushed down to the beach minutes after the incident and interviewed some of Tyna’s friends on camera who told me: “They warned us there were sharks in the bay and we told her she mustn’t go in, but she wouldn’t listen to us, she never did.”
What I said on National Television E-News the day Michael was bitten, I say again, it’s their domain, not ours, and we really need to keep our wits about us, use the ocean responsibly and keep things in perspective by remembering some simple facts: we need our sharks because they keep our oceans in balance (no sharks in the oceans means no tasty fish on your dinner plate, plus a whole lot of other negative repercussions that will affect us all since the oceans are our life support system), we slaughter over 70 million sharks a year, while worldwide last year there was only 6 fatalities by sharks, 2 of which were in South Africa. On average from 2001 to date in South Africa there has only been 48 ‘attacks’ (a word I use very sparingly as it is misused and misplaced since sharks are not out to attack us – if this was the case they would be doing so daily), and of those 11 were fatal i.e. 1 death by sharks per year over 11 years in South Africa. Ever wondered what the murder stats are in South Africa in comparison – try 15,940 murders in 2010/11.
So why the huge fuss when sharks kill on average only 1 person a year in South Africa and little fuss over daily murders? Perhaps it’s because we have become desensitized to murder stories because there’s just so many in comparison. Unless of course it’s the murder of the wealthy and famous and the details are intriguing to the average Joe-Smoe who also happens to be an avid reader of ‘Heat’ or ‘You’ magazines and the like, or if the murder is comparative to the Chainsaw Massacre, which makes for a perverse, enthralling story. It’s about what sells papers, gets prime time coverage and the gorier the better. I mean, who wants to read about yet another murder in South Africa – pretty boring right? But a death by a shark or an ‘attack’ by a shark, with headlines like “Fish Food, Eaten Alive” with an image of a white shark bearing its razor sharp teeth, well now that gets the masses lining up at the café newspaper stand. People and the media are predictable.
According to the International Shark Attack File, it is true that globally the number of shark bites has increased. But before jumping to conclusion about increasing shark populations, sadly shark populations worldwide are in fact declining at an alarming rate, and many species will become extinct in our lifetime. It’s therefore a matter of simple arithmetic: an ever growing human population i.e. 6.8 billion and counting = more water users + spending increased amounts of time in the ocean = increased risk of encountering a shark.
And though white sharks are efficient predators that are potentially dangerous to people, considering the daily number of water users, the actual number of shark bites remains extremely low. As our Rethink the shark PSAs illustrate, you are more likely to be killed by your toaster, flying kite, or falling off your chair than by a shark! (Watch our award winning Rethink the shark here or see video below this post). Why sharks bite people is mostly unknown but possibly because of mistaken identity, curiosity, investigation and in few cases, aggression. But following these guidelines can further reduce the very, very, small risk of being bitten:
Pay attention to shark signage and flags on beaches and obey them.
Obey beach officials if told to leave the water.
If a shark has recently been sighted in an area where no shark spotters are present, use another beach.
First time visitors to beaches should ask local law enforcement official, life guards or locals about the area.
For those kayaking or surfskiing far out to the sea, consider paddling in groups and staying close together.
Consider using a personal shark shield when surfing or kayaking.
Don’t swim, surf or surfski when birds, dolphins or seals are feeding nearby.
Don’t swim in deep water beyond the breakers.
Don’t swim, surf or surfski on your own or at night.
Don’t swim if you are bleeding.
Don’t swim near river mouths.
Don’t swim, surf or surfski near trek-netting, fishing or spear fishing activities.
Don’t dive using a baiting bag.
Where there are Shark Spotting Programmes, and for those who have never quite got the flags meaning, myself included, here they are:
A Green Flag means visibility for the spotters is good and no sharks are visible to the spotter.
A Black Flag means visibility for the spotters is poor but no sharks have been seen.
A Red Flag means that a shark has been seen recently but is no longer visible to the spotters.
A White Flag with a Black Shark, along with a loud siren, means a shark has been sighted and you should leave the water calmly but immediately.
No Flag visible means that spotters are not on duty.
Just remember that though the Shark Spotting Programme is effective, it can never be 100 % guaranteed because of human error and bad viz days, for example. But cleary in the recent case, had Michael chosen to adhere to the safety measures in place, he would have avoided being bitten - informed decisions and responsible behaviour while using the sea greatly lowers any risk of ever encountering a shark.
Will I go swimming in Fish Hoek beach again which I love? Of course I will, but I will be sure to check the flag and obey the safety measures in place, I won’t swim behind the backline where each previous incident took place, and I will be mindful that the sharks are thankfully still out there, somewhere, but that there’s more chance of me being killed driving home after my swim than of me ever being bitten by one. Or perhaps I shouldn’t ever swim in this ocean again, but then I best never drive my car again…
Find out more about Lesley’s work www.lesleyrochat.com or www.aoca.org.za
|
| |
| share this blog |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
share this blog |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| Lottery supports AfriOceans |
| 29 July 2011, 11:17 |
|
| |
I am so delighted to announce that we, AfriOceans Conservation Alliance, have been allocated a handsome grant from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) for the AfriOceans Warriors Environmental Education Programme, an exciting 3 year environmental education programme that aims to reach 170 000 learners along our coast!
God/ the Universe, has been so kind to us! The last year and half was a tough time for the organisation as we struggled with limited funding after the unexpected and sudden withdrawal of support from our previous funder after many years of loyalty toward them, which shocked and surprised many. But it never stopped us from continuing the good work we were committed to doing - at the same time that I was being asked by our sponsor to hand over the Shark Centre, which was an AfriOceans project, our vision which we created and from which we ran our environmental education programmes for children, we were laying the foundation for our new future, independent of restrictions that were once placed upon us. Our mandate clashed with that of our sponsor at the time: while their approach is passive education and awareness, we, as an organisation with a reputation for leading innovative awareness campaigns, follow an ‘action’ and activism-based approach to education and awareness.
So just before leaving, and taking a lateral approach to what we felt was becoming staid environmental education models that ceased to really inspire the youth and make a difference, we broke the mould and on 2 December 2009 AfriOceans created a new African Tribe, the AfriOceans Warriors. The launch event included 430 learners from 14 high schools and junior schools in Cape Town, South Africa, including 30 learners from COSAT in Khayelitsha, who walked 8km in howling South Easter winds along a stretch of the coast to give a 'Voice to the Oceans'. After forming a symbolic S.O.S. on the beach they reached their final destination where invited dignitaries welcomed them, and to whom they handed a scroll. The scroll highlighted their concerns regarding the state of our oceans, and requested our country's leaders to take action and allow the youth of South Africa their constitutional right to inherit healthy oceans. These young people are the AfriOceans Warriors!
Though the young AfriOceans Warriors continued to be involved in amazing initiatives such as river and beach cleanups, the forming of an AfriOceans Warriors Vuvuzela Band, video productions and much more, the potential to grow the Tribe was limited due to financial constraints - until today! Money rules our world, including what we as a non-profit organization can achieve, and just how much of a difference we can really make. Now with more funding than we have ever been awarded for environmental education before, I am filled with gratitude toward the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund for believing in AfriOceans, in our children and the need for this Programme. This Programme is unique, and special in many ways, the NLDTF saw this, and many others have too - it has, and will continue to make a huge difference in the lives of many young South African’s, as well as toward the conservation of our oceans.
I feel confident to say that this Programme will lay the foundation for many great initiatives in environmental education both locally and internationally. We look forward to collaborating with many other NPOs, and to bringing on many partners and making sure that together we provide our youth with the correct guidance and tools to ensure their constitutional right is met - if not they are the ones that will suffer the most.
Last but most definitely not least I need to thank the many people who have supported us, and in particular two special people who were part of the creation of the AfriOceans Warriors, Leonie Jacobson, Deputy Head Master of Muizenberg High, and Terry Corr, Head of Education of AfriOceans. A special thanks to Terry for believing in AfriOceans and this project, and bringing to my attention the Lottery ad for proposal submissions, and for all his hard work since - it has paid off Terry! Many of the old team are back together, and growing, and there is much to do during our programme setup phase which we have now entered with great enthusiasm. We did it then, we’ve done it now, and together we will keep doing it!
Find out more about Lesley’s work www.lesleyrochat.com or www.aoca.org.za
|
| |
| share this blog |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
share this blog |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| What you wear and shark bites |
| 1 July 2011, 08:35 |
|
| |
On Monday a young diver was bitten by a Dusky shark off the south coast of Durban, no doubt exactly where I was diving and took these photos of blacktip sharks two weeks ago. Though I received the press release below, I am still in the dark regarding the exact details of what happened and many questions remain such as whether there was potentially more than just the two-tone contrasting fins he wore that attracted the shark to him in particular.
But the point about wearing items that can attract a shark's attention definitely deserves more attention: in my years of diving with sharks, and in particular what I have learnt from Walter Bernardis of African Watersports who is very firm in his belief about this, if you are going to dive with sharks then NEVER EVER wear contrasting items i.e. wear plain black fins, plain black everything, that includes white/bright logos and prints on wetsuits (I carry a permanent black marker to colour these out), which in a flash might look like a silver fish to a shark, and have a covering made for your housing if it's shiny silver (like mine), and have no dangling items near your body. Last year on the sardine run I had a rather frightening experience when my dangling dive computer attached to my first stage via a hose and then onto my BCD by a thick string was snatched up by a shark who got caught on the string, frantically pulling at me, very close to me, until it managed to break it and swim off. Walter had warmed me and after that experience I now make sure that I am as colour neutral and compact as possible in the water while diving with sharks, in particular when they are excited by baiting or natural events like the sardine run.
I highly recommend Walter as the choice for shark diving in Aliwal Shoal and the sardine run - he leads the way in this dress code, alerting his clients beforehand of what to wear to avoid looking like a tasty fish, with a can of spray paint handy for those who think it's cods wallop, to spray on those spanking new two-tone fins just bought, and I have seen him use it!
As for colours attracting sharks, and the research done, including my own experience, sharks cannot see colour, what attracts them is contrast, hence the plain yellow wetsuit I wore in the Bahamas, from Coral Wetsuits, being of no interest to them, putting to rest the belief that sharks are attracted to yellow - I received no more interest from sharks in that plain yellow wetsuit than my plain black one.
If we want to play with top predators, we need to think like them, in particular in the way we dress.
Watch my space!
Press Release issued by Rob Evans
The KZN South Coast diving community was devastated this morning (28 June) with the bite by a large Dusky shark on an Advanced SCUBA diver who was on a dive within the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area (MPA). Although the injuries sustained by the diver were not fatal, the incident was nevertheless quite serious with the diver being evacuated by air. The diver is now in a stable condition following surgery at Albert Luthuli Hospital in Durban. Netcare911 Spokesperson Chris Botha commended the Blue Wilderness team for their exemplary handling of the situation, commenting that “this young man owes his life to the well trained Blue Wilderness staff who managed to stop the blood flow so quickly.” Ryan and Clare Daly (Blue Wilderness), Peter Bauer (rescue diver) and Alistair Louw (local skipper) were all on hand to assist with the medical care that saved the diver’s life, and all kept a cool head in a very stressful situation.
Speaking about the incident, Mark Addison of Blue Wilderness said that "after over 23 years in the diving industry, and 15 years in the shark diving industry, this has been the first time we have had an encounter such as this at Aliwal Shoal. Taking all that we have observed and learnt over the last two decades, there is no way that one could have known that that this individual animal would break all of the rules. However, the young diver is our main concern right now and our thoughts go out to him and his family during this difficult time. Anyone who comes into our environment is considered to be a member of our family and we are very close to the diver and deeply saddened by today’s events.” The bite occurred when a large Dusky shark bit at the diver’s fins in what is most likely a case of mistaken identity. The SCUBA diver was wearing split fins with black and grey stripes, and to the shark this may have looked like a small shoal of fish.
According to Addison, “having swum with sharks on thousands of occasions, I can testify that isolated freak accidents such as this rarely occur. Although there are more large Dusky sharks around than usual at the moment due to the presence of sardines, there is no reason for them to have any more interest in us than they normally do, and this was really unfortunate”. These large Dusky sharks generally live offshore, but come closer to shore during this time of the year as they follow the massive shoals of sardines that are making their way up the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal coastlines. Dusky sharks are listed on the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List as “near threatened” and are one of the most vulnerable of the shark species to exploitation because it reproduces so slowly and at such a late age.
Find out more about Lesley’s work www.lesleyrochat.com or www.aoca.org.za
|
| |
| share this blog |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
share this blog |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| Wonderful white sharks |
| 18 June 2011, 10:39 |
|
| |
A stunning weekend was had by the famous shark scientist, Dr Leonard Compagno, and I when we visited Kleinbaai this past weekend as guests of Wilfred Chivell of Marine Dynamics, an outstanding white shark cage diving business run off a superb vessel, Slashfin.
I've been threatening to take up Wilfred's offer for some time and tore myself away from the AfriOceans office when hearing that the weather was promising. I was looking for calm conditions, good visibility, more blue than green water, sunshine and loads of sharks. I got almost my entire wish list except for the sunshine and particles in the water which served as a great annoyance for that shot I am looking for and yet to get. The sharks were absolutely wonderful with up to five different individuals paying us lengthy visits. Their majestic beauty never ceases to take my breath away.
While we were there focusing on these magnificent animals tragedy struck further up our coast in KwaZulu Natal when spearfisherman, Warren Smart, died due to loss of blood after being bitten by a shark. According to press releases, Warren explained to his friends that the shark had not intended to bite him, but rather snatch the catch he was removing from his speargun and accidentally it bit his leg instead. I extend my condolences to Warren's family.
Having dived with sharks for many years I know under certain circumstances, like not trying to feed them or handle them, diving with them is far safer than taking a sunset stroll alone on Noordhoek beach where I stand to be potentially attacked, raped and possibly killed - I would never ever take this risk, but diving with sharks is something I plan as often as possible. I also recognise that spearfishing remains one of the most high risk sports for unfortunate encounters with sharks. Like someone once said to me: "You wouldn't go to the Kruger National Park and drag a dead, bloody carcass behind you, now would you?" Yet hundreds of spearfishermen do the equivalent annually, attracting sharks by their kills, and despite this very few have been killed by sharks. Though I respect each for his own, would I spearfish? Well no, firstly it goes against my spiritual beliefs which does not support killing animals and secondly, even if my beliefs were different, the risk in my calculation compares with that Kruger Park analogy, these are hungry predators after all. The risk, however, remains low and putting shark bites into perspective has always been one of my main objectives and hence the creation of our RETHINK THE SHARK PSAs, thanks to Saatchi & Saatchi.
I will be returning to visit the white sharks again soon and will be focused on capturing their beauty as part of a book project and documentary so watch my space as I share more with you...
A very big thanks to Wilfred/Marine Dynamics, to Hennie, the skipper and all the crew for being so helpful, I look forward to seeing you all again soon...
See more of my images of the white sharks here.
|
| |
| share this blog |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
share this blog |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
