It’s not a headline you see very often:  “Housewife attacked by killer washing machine!”  

But the chances of humans suffering injury and possibly death at the hands of their kitchen appliances (and other furniture – beds are particularly dangerous) is statistically greater than of being attacked by sharks – yet every shark attack is greeted with hysterical newspaper headlines worldwide.

Mankind’s fascination with sharks is occupied mostly with their silent deadliness.  They are, after all, the only creatures apart from crocodiles that have slipped through various evolutionary loopholes to have remained unchanged as apex predators for millions of years.  Popular media that portray sharks as relentless vigilantes in pursuit of innocent and not-so-innocent humans have not helped.  The only reason why sharks attack us, says conventional wisdom, is because we – whenever we get into the sea and flail about like injured seals – resemble their favourite prey, ie. injured seals.

Of all the sharks that have little on their mind but food, the Great White is regarded as the  most fearsome.  For centuries, sharks were fair game to be killed and mutilated by humans in a mistaken form of revenge.  But in fact, without sharks to act as speedy garbage disposals in the ocean, our seas would be in much worse shape than they are.  So the decline of shark numbers – and especially Great White Shark numbers – is cause for concern.

South Africa was the first country in the world to protect Great White Sharks.  They’re the largest predatory fish, and are the only surviving species of their genus Carcharodon.  They are remnants of the dinosaur age, and have evolved very little since Tyrannosaurus ruled the earth.  And their undoubted champion in this country is ‘old sea dog’ Brian McFarlane, founder of Great White Shark Tours.

“We respect and protect great white sharks, in order to provide our clients with an unforgettable educational trip,” says Brian.  This respect for the shark is extended to preserving their Carcharhinian dignity:  “We do not feed the shark under any circumstances,” says Brian.  “We use a scent line to attract them, and our ‘secret weapon’ is a seal cut-out called Gladys, which attracts the sharks closer to the boat.”  Gladys obviously gets whipped out of the water just before the shark pounces, leaving her to attract sharks another day.

Great White Shark Tours operates around Dyer Island, off the south-west coast near Gansbaai – the Holy Grail for shark-watchers.  Dyer Island and Gansbaai offer an El Bulli of dining pleasure for the Great White Shark, with abundant seals, fish, smaller sharks, skates and rays (not to mention the occasional unwary surfer).  The company has been operating in these waters for quite some time so the skippers have extensive experience of the sea and weather.   Brian also has a vast knowledge and experience of the sea and a fascination for sharks.  Mix in some lively weather in the form of sea-spray and an ocean breeze to give you a new hairstyle; the sight of a Great White Shark launching its two-ton body completely clear of the water in pursuit of some speedy prey; a fund of sea stories and improbable facts about sharks and their unlikely relationship to humans; and you have a riveting experience.

Sharks are surface feeders and therefore it is possible to get close enough to count their teeth from the comfort of the boat.  But for those who want to meet the shark on its own terms, there is also a cage for diving.  The cage is large enough to accommodate seven divers, especially if they are all clustered against the side of the cage furthest from the shark.  Dive gear is provided as part of the package, and the chances of seeing sharks – both on the surface and under it – are 99%.  The company does, however, have a ‘no-sighting’ voucher that entitles disappointed punters to have another complimentary trip.  But Brian says that in four years only five trips didn’t produce a shark, and this was most likely as a result of stirred-up seas resulting in non-existent visibility.

Once under the water, it might surprise you to discover that seals are scarier than sharks.  Sharks tend to swirl around lazily and might give you an occasional disinterested glance, whereas seals – as any diver will attest – love to dive-bomb you with gaping jaws.  Therefore even if you are surrounded by sharks, it is highly unlikely that they will attempt to chew their way through the cage to get at you, no matter how delicious you think you are.

Shuttles are supplied from Cape Town, and the tour starts with a breakfast and briefing at a lovely spot overlooking Kleinbaai harbour, before boarding the boat and heading for shark territory.  

It is believed that sharks have declined in numbers by more than 90% over the last few decades, entirely at the hands of man.  Shark cage diving is not an attempt to even the score, but to prevent more unnecessary slaughter through knowledge.   “We promote awareness and education, we create local employment, we provide excellent research opportunities and we monitor the species daily,” says Brian. “Cage diving has shown that the shark is worth more alive than dead.”