It's nice when you don't just have third, but fourth and fifth teeth: the great white shark, which attracts cage diving tourists, has become rare in South Africa.
Image: Mauritius
Gansbaai in South Africa was considered the “Great White Shark Capital of the World.” But the animals have disappeared – that changes everything in tourism.
EIt's still early in the morning when the Slashfin sets off in a small bay near Gansbaai. The water lies there like a tablecloth. The sky is dove gray. There are 30 people on board. Most of them are already squeezed into wetsuits. Some are visibly excited. It takes less than 20 minutes for Dickie, the skipper, to stop the boat, lean over the railing and let the cages into the water. The working day can begin.
Divers call the place southeast of Cape Town Shark Alley. “Shark Alley” has long been a legend among adrenaline junkies. The strait runs between Dyer Island and Geyser Rock, two tiny rocky islands in the Atlantic. Great white sharks patrolled here almost every day, looking for one or two South African fur seals from the eared seal family that live on Geyer Rock – a kind of self-service shop for top predators.
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