I grew up between the mountains and the ocean on a small strip of coastline along Africa’s southeastern tip. Ever since I can remember, I have had a great love of animals and nature. I attribute this passion to my mother. She was a woman ahead of her time. She paid attention to issues like pollution and conservation in an era when very few people were addressing or even aware of them. She would take us for long walks on the mountain above our home and teach us plant names, both Latin and colloquial. She would warn us about poisonous species and point out indigenous plants with medicinal properties.
At home, my mom would always (always!) have buckets standing beneath our gutters to capture any overflow, which she used to water her garden. When we walked on the beach, she insisted we take used plastic shopping packets to collect any harmful debris. I will forever be grateful to her for inspiring me to care about the environment and realise our human impact.
This inspiration led me to later work in conservation and community outreach. I soon learned that these two areas are inseparable. Negotiating the overlap is critical to the health of our planet. This is particularly true regarding sharks – arguably the most misunderstood of all marine animals.
Working with a shark research and conservation project changed my perceptions of sharks entirely. I have seen how beautiful and graceful great white sharks are in their natural habitat. I have learned how threatened their survival is and how vital these apex predators are to the ocean’s health. I have also been privileged to encounter many other sharks and marine species that inhabit South Africa’s Western Cape coastline. Most significantly, I have realised the fragility of our shoreline ecosystems and their biodiversity. These experiences fuelled my desire to connect conscious travellers with marine and coastal tour operators who actively and ethically support conservation and community education.
SharkOceanCoast.com is the product of this passion. We have carefully chosen partner tour operators who share our commitment to conservation and emphasize ethics, quality, and safety. We look forward to introducing you to our beautiful coastline and its phenomenal wildlife. Most significantly, we hope these experiences will make you as passionate as we are about protecting our planet and its incredible creatures.