TRAVEL WITH CHRIS BROWN SOUTH AFRICA SHARK DIVE This week, Chris is joined in South Africa by Chef Miguel & our South African holiday competition winner Shennae. They head to the famous Shark Alley in Gansbaai for an up close and personal experience with the awesomely fierce Great White Shark. Lured to the area by the 60,000 fur seals that breed in the area, the sharks are attracted by a seal decoy strung from the boat. Will Chris, Miguel & Shennae survive their Great White Shark cage dive adventure? 16 circling monsters have one thing on their minds! SOUTH AFRICA South Africa is one of the most diverse and enchanting countries in the world, blessed with spectacular scenery and natural landscapes - soaring mountain peaks, dense and ancient forests, miles of unspoiled coastline, rolling flower fields and crystal-clear rivers. Its wildlife encounters stretch from diving with Great White Sharks to going on a safari to see the Big Five, to seeing the penguins waddling on the Cape.
Then there s the deserted Kalahari, iconic Table Mountain and Cape Point, Kruger National Park s wildlife-stalked savannah, running through the east of the country and into Lesotho, the Drakensberg. KwaZulu-Natal s isimangaliso Wetland Park alone has five distinct ecosystems, attracting both zebras and dolphins. Positioned at the southern end of the African continent, the country also offers the world s finest, award-winning safari lodges, five star resorts and spa-safaris. South Africa is a source of world-class wine and cuisine, from traditional comfort food to Michelin-star dining; a hearty Shebeen buffet or a gourmet banquet beneath a star-strewn African sky. South African people are some of the most upbeat, welcoming and humorous folk you ll encounter anywhere, from farmers in the rural north who tell you to drive safely on those dirt roads, to Khayelitsha kids who wish you molo ( good morning in Xhosa) Cape Town, also known as the Mother City, is the most affordable destination across the globe for Australian travellers, as announced earlier this year in TripAdvisor s TripIndex Room Service 2013. SAA flies daily direct from Sydney and Perth to Johannesburg. The flight duration is approximately 11 hours (from Perth) to 14 hours (from Sydney). For bookings please contact South African Airways: Phone: 1300 435 972 Website: www.flysaa.com.au http://www.lonelyplanet.com/south-africa GREAT WHITE SHARK Great whites are torpedo-shaped with powerful tails that can propel them through the water at up to 24 kilometres per hour. Of the 100-plus annual shark attacks worldwide, fully one-third to one-half are attributable to great whites. However, most of these are not fatal, and new research finds that great whites, who are naturally curious, are "sample biting" then releasing their victims rather than preying
on humans. It's not a terribly comforting distinction, but it does indicate that humans are not actually on the great white's menu. Great whites are the largest predatory fish on Earth. They grow to an average of 4.6 metres in length, though specimens exceeding 6 metres and weighing up to 2,268 kilograms have been recorded. Found in cool, coastal waters throughout the world, there is no reliable data on the great white's population. However, scientists agree that their number are decreasing precipitously due to overfishing and accidental catching in gill nets, among other factors, and they are listed as an endangered species. Great whites can detect one drop of blood in 100L of water and can sense even tiny amounts of blood in the water up to 5 km away. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/fish/great-white-shark/ SHARK DIVING Watching a 4 metre Great White gracefully glide past you within touching range, is a thrill of a lifetime. The Gansbaai coastline is probably the best place in the world to encounter tens of Great Whites at a time in a relatively small area. The area off the southern tip of Africa is renowned as one of the most spectacular locations to see Great Whites. This is where the vision of them launching out of the water and getting airborne was first recorded. Between the islands of Geyser Rock and Dyer Island is a narrow, shallow channel called Shark Alley - reputed to be the best place in the world for Great White Shark cage diving. Due to the 60 000 strong Cape Fur Seal colony in the area, this notorious ally has been dubbed the McDonalds Drive-thru for the Great White shark.
For an even closer encounter with the most successful predator in the world, you can enter the cage and duck underwater to meet them face to face. The specially designed cage is very secure, and floats with part of the cage out of the water. Divers are never more than a metre below the surface. When the sharks are around the boat, the divers get into the cage and the sharks are lured to within centimetres from the cage. You can see they have no eyelids and make no sound. An average of 4 to 5 sharks are usually encountered, but as many as 18 have been seen.
FOR BOOKINGS & MORE INFORMATION: Marine Dynamics Shark Tours Ph: +27(0)28 384 1005 Email: dive@sharkwatchsa.com www.sharkwatchsa.com Grootbos, in partnership with Marine Dynamics, is geared to take a captivating boat cruise to the world-renowned Shark Alley between Dyer Island and Geyser Rock where the Great Whites feed on the Cape Fur Seal colonies. No diving experience is required, and all equipment is provided on board. The best season for sharks in the area is from June to September GROOTBOS The name Grootbos, an Afrikaans word meaning Big Forest, is derived from the presence of ancient Milkwood Forests. Milkwood trees are known to grow over 1000 years old and their gnarled branches and mossy beards create an enchanting atmosphere. Nestled between mountain and sea, the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve is an eco-paradise showcasing the incredible Flora and Marine life of the Southern Tip of Africa. Home of the "Marine Big 5" - whales, sharks, dolphins, seals and penguins and with unparalleled floral diversity and eco adventures. The Grootbos Foundation and the development of sustainable nature-based livelihoods amongst local communities is the core philosophy of conservation linked with social development that has made Grootbos an award-winning world leader in responsible tourism.
FOR BOOKINGS & MORE INFORMATION: Grootbos Private Nature Reserve PO Box 148, 7220 Gansbaai, South Africa Tel: +27 (0)28 384 8000 E-mail: bookings@grootbos.co.za Website: www.grootbos.com Only 2 hours from Cape Town and 30 minutes from Hermanus on the way to the worldrenowned Garden Route, Grootbos is perfectly situated between the classic attractions of the Cape and is most certainly a highlight on any itinerary. WEBLINKS www.flysaa.com.au www.sharkwatchsa.com www.grootbos.com