White Sharks Return to Bird Island, Algoa Bay
By Lloyd Edwards

Friday, 1st August 2025

(Raggy Charters is the only licensed white shark cage diving operator in Algoa Bay at present. Permit issued by DFFE).

At last, the White Sharks have returned to Bird Island. Last year we saw a couple . . . who took one look at us and promptly left! We have had a few shark cage diving cruises this year, but no sightings. The latest cruise made up for everything.

We saw plenty of Humpback and Bryde's Whales on the two-hour journey to Black Rocks, near Bird Island. This is the Eastern end of Algoa Bay. We anchored in the lee and began to chum. The water was beautifully clear and a warm 19 Degrees. We had been busy for almost an hour, when Graeme Lund shouted “Shark at 11 o clock!” The four Italian marine science students, a German volunteer, a single paying customer, 2 local returning customers, 3 friends and 3 crew all relished the moment!

It was quite a small male around 3 metres in length. He had a few passes at the bait and cage and left after 10 minutes. Around 15 minutes later, another arrived. We were unsure of the sex of this one, who only stayed a few minutes, before heading off back towards the seals pups on Black Rocks. Twenty minutes later we had another fleeting visit, but were unable to tell if it was one of the previous visitors.

It is the Cape fur seals pups that are learning to swim that attracts white sharks to the area . . . not chumming! Chumming only attracts them to the surface, so we can observe and photograph them. Fin id images have already been sent to the relevant shark scientists.

So why have most white Sharks disappeared?

As per the attached image #5, white sharks do get taken out by Killer Whales. It is not only the infamous brothers, Port and Starboard, but also some of the other pods, who have been taught these bad habits! However, there are more serious factors at play here.

The shark nets in Kwazulu-Natal have killed 28 white sharks in the last 30 years, which is unsustainable. The last casualty was was one that had recently been fitted with a tag. This disgusting practice must stop . . . there are other non-lethal methods available to us. Come on Natal Sharks Board, get your shit together and stop making excuses.

The shark long liners also take more than their fair share. Although they have claimed to have never caught a white shark, whistle blowers who used to work in this industry, says this is not so. Many are caught, which leading shark researchers estimate to be between 10 and 40 per year. The worst impact from the shark long liners is that they catch most of the white shark’s prey of smaller sharks, as per image #6. No food and they simply go elsewhere.

While the fishing industry will bemoan the "loss of jobs" that will occur if they needs to stop their deadly mission, what about the closure of the multi million rand shark cage diving industry in Gansbaai? What about all those jobs that have been lost and the marine conservation that those companies contributed towards?

Always a bonus to get the Bird Island in the background! Taken with a Nikon, ISO 280, 135mm zoom, f/10 and 1/1250th second. The f/10 and the low zoom keeps the lighthouse sharp.

These are the tracks of 4 white sharks tagged off East London, and 1 off Mossel Bay. They were tagged by our white shark advisor, Dr. Enrico Gennari. Credit to www.oceans-research.com/projects/marine/

Observing these animals in a calm and responsible manner is always first prize.

A white shark swims past the cage, with the Cape Fur Seals on Black Rocks in the background.

This male white shark was around 3m in length . . . still a baby!

Dr Kevin Cole from the East London Museum examines this 4,6m specimen that was taken out by killer whales off East London. Only the liver has been removed. Note the two claspers which are the male sex organs.