10 hours.

That’s how long trained shark spotters to sit on the mountain above Muizenberg beach in Cape Town.

From 8AM to 6PM, it’s their  job to scan the waters for any sharks that may be lurking nearby.

When they do, it’s up to them to sound the alarm, a loud siren that warns Cape Town’s swimmers to get onto dry land quickly.

To watch the water for 10 whole hours is pretty intense, when you remember that most of us are complaining about the nine-to-five grind.

It’s even more so when you consider that these shark spotters are on the 365 days a year without fail. They’re equipped with only polarised sunglasses – worn to reduce glare off the ocean – and a pair of binoculars that helps them spot a sneaky fin.

Believe me, those shades and binoculars make all the difference between swimmers staying alive and getting chomped.

The Shark Spotters programme is a sustainable shark safety programme running in Cape Town, which tries to reduce shark bites by making sure people and sharks don’t share the same space.

Sarah Waries, CEO of the programme, explained to Business Insider SA:

We operate in Cape Town where we have the second largest aggregation of great white sharks in the world, and it is the largest on the doorstep of a major city…

Something that’s worth remembering, too:

Although great whites have gotten a bad rap because of the likes of JAWS, these apex predators are vital for ocean health, says Waries. They keep species numbers in balance, and they play a role in the distribution of animals who usually go out of their way to avoid an encounter with a great white — unlike humans.

Protecting swimmers from a nasty nip is not the only thing that Shark Spotters do.

They also perform research to study how many sharks there are, track their movements, understand their behaviour, promote their conservation, and predict when there are going to be high numbers near Cape Town’s beaches.

Still, it’s looking out for sharks while swimmers frolic in the waves is the main thing they deal with, and they need to be rocking the best shades possible for the job.

Oakley’s new Prizm Midnight Collection, which comes with polarised lenses guaranteed to cut sun glare, is a potent tool:

This is the Holbrook Metal Midnight with orange lenses and sleek black frames (R2 990), which is perfect for looking out on the shoreline:

If you’re looking for dynamic yet stylish shades for when you hit the water, look no further than the Flak 2.0 XL Midnight (R2 790).

These Drop Point Midnight shades (R2 590) will make you look professional AF, no matter what you’re up to.

Shark spotters, sportsters and swimmers alike spend hours on Cape Town’s beaches, and the shades from the Prizm Midnight collection are the perfect matching accessories.

Not to mention it’ll help you out enormously if you’re on the lookout for those sharks.

Head on down to Sunglass Hut to check out the new Oakley Prizm Midnight Collection, and find out which will suit your face type.

Stay safe on the seafront, friends.

[source:businessinsidersa]