Despite what tourists visiting our shores might think, the beaches around the Cape peninsula aren’t exactly teeming with sharks.
That being said we know attacks are still a major concern for many, which is why the City of Cape Town have ramped up their efforts.
With the help of the Shark Spotters Programme, eight beaches in Cape Town will see an increased presence of those looking out for any uninvited guests.
30 shark spotters, as well as 10 net crew members for the Fish Hoek shark cut-off barrier, were deployed as of Saturday. Traveller24 with more:
Johan van der Merwe, Councillor, City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Environmental and Spatial Planning said that, “The Fish Hoek shark exclusion net forms a complete barrier from the sea floor to the sea surface and prevents animals from entering the “exclusion zone” in the southern corner of Fish Hoek Bay.
It is deployed and retrieved daily to minimise the risk of entangling marine animals and has been specifically designed to have minimal environmental impact.”
“We will do everything in our power to make this a safe summer season but we need beachgoers to help us and to be aware of the usual increase in in-shore shark activity over the summer months. Pay attention to shark signage when visiting beaches and always obey officials if instructed to leave the water,” he added.
I know there are some folk who simply laugh at the warnings of the shark spotters, but they’re far braver (if that’s the word you’d choose) than the majority who head for the safety of land.
The full list of all the beaches that the shark spotters will operate on:
Muizenberg
Monday – Sunday, 08:00 – 18:00
St James/Kalk Bay
Monday – Sunday, 08:00 – 18:00
Fish Hoek
Monday – Sunday, 07:00 – 18:45
Caves, Kogel Bay
Monday – Sunday, 08:00 – 18:00
Noordhoek (The Hoek)
Monday – Sunday, 08:00 – 18:00 (September to May)
Clovelly
Weekends, public holidays and school holidays
10:00 – 17:00Glencairn
Weekends, public holidays and school holidays
08:00 – 18:00Monwabisi
Weekends, public holidays and school holidays
08:00 – 18:00
Happy, safe swimming guys and girls.
[source:traveller24]
[imagesource:here]
