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Why choose Marine Dynamics as your favourite and ultimate specialised tour operator?
In South Africa, the governmental DEAT Marine and Coastal Management department has given exemptions to twelve commercial cage diving tourism companies to attract and work with Great White Sharks. These allocations have been mainly concentrated in Gansbaai with eight exempted companies offering White Shark viewing and diving, Mossel Bay has one company and False Bay three. The industry started shortly after 1991 when South Africa protected Great White Sharks on a national level, with some of the ex-hunters turning conservationist overnight. But only during the late 90's did the industry really explode, and especially following the National Geographic magazine article which featured White Sharks in Gansbaai, and put this once unknown sleepy fishing village on international maps. The industry has evolved dramatically over the years from a thrill and adrenaline seeking adventure business type towards a more eco-oriented and conservation minded tourism industry.
To help you to choose among so many companies, we would like to point out some of the advantages Marine Dynamics has to offer:
1. Combination of expertise: the two sister companies Marine Dynamics (White Shark viewing and cage diving) and Dyer Island Cruises (Whale watching and ecotours around Dyer Island to view Dolphins, Seals and Marine Birds) offer a wide range of tour package options and unparalleled expert knowledge about the entire ecosystem.
2. Marine Dynamics and Dyer Island
Cruises, live by the 'Discover and Protect' slogan, and we strive to provide you with the utmost conservation oriented and respect ethos offer on the market. Our main concern is directed at the Sharks and the heath of the local ecosystem which attracts White Sharks into the area. We will show you the true Great White Sharks, not those depicted in many movies and images. White Sharks are amazing, captivating and wonderful animals, perfectly adapted to the ocean and represent the ultimate predator in the marine world. They deserve our deepest respect and admiration.
3. Hosting and welcoming facilities: The Great White House located in Kleinbaai will be your welcoming host for the duration of your excursion, with secure parking, accommodation, restaurant, coffee shop, gift shop, conference and education centre, relaxing garden, luxury bathrooms with hot showers, free internet access, free digital camera download facilities available for our guests. This centre offers truly unparalleled services in the area, and you will feel comfortable from the moment you step through our doors.
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4. Boat: Shark Fever is a 10.6 metre or 32 ft long catamaran vessel built specifically for the purpose of viewing and cage diving with Great White Sharks. A large cabin will protect you and your belongings from the weather. A spacious toilet is also available on board. All diving equipment is provided with the excursions. Lunch (sandwiches, fruits, chips) and drinks (soft drinks and water) are offered on board and included in our packages. The galvanised steel Shark cage is large enough to accommodate up to four people comfortably. The top deck offers a great viewing and photographic platform to observe the Sharks from the surface above the action.
5. Experienced and specialised crew: The crew on Shark Fever present a combined experience working with White Sharks for more than ten years. The crew has experience in working with professional film and photo crews from international television and award winning magazine companies, and can guide you through your experience better than anyone else. A shark biologist and/or his assistants will be present on the boat to guide you through the educational discovery of these mysterious ocean predators.
6. Conservation involvement: Wilfred Chivell, owner of Dyer Island Cruises and Marine Dynamics, is certainly the most knowledgeable person about the ecosystem and varied wildlife found on and around Dyer Island. His care and dedication to the health of this sensitive ecosystem has lead to the launch of different conservation projects for the area: 'Faces of Need - Artificial Penguin Nest Project' which aims at creating 2000 artificial nests on Dyer Island by 2008, over the years his 'Bird Rescue Initiative' have made him the prime transporter of injured and oiled marine birds from the island to shore, where they would be transported to SANCOB, the 'Marine Litter Project' aims at educating the public and local communities about the devastating results of pollution on wildlife while also initiating cleanup of the coast, and he is commited to support the research fieldwork conducted by the White Shark Trust during 2006 in allowing the population information to be gathered from Shark Fever.
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7. Education: In the morning, before your trip to sea and while you are having your breakfast, we offer an in-depth audio-visual briefing introducing you to the local ecosystem and to your excursion in our comfortable conference room equipped with a data projector and a large screen. This will help you to become familiari with the boat, the crew, the concept of chumming, and what you can expect to see during your excursion, and give you some guidance as to the safety issues related to boats and Shark cages. In the afternoon following your excursion, we have an optional presentation designed by Shark biologist, Michael Scholl, and presented by himself or one of his assistants. This presentation will give you an insight into general Shark biology and conservation, and present some of the research work conducted on White Sharks in South Africa.
8. Video: Your trip will be recorded by a videographer with a high quality 3-CCD or HDV camera, and you can watch the unedited footage after your excursion before deciding to purchase a DVD of your day as a souvenir. This service is run by the independent company DIC Media who works exclusively with Marine Dynamics and Dyer Island Cruises.
9.
Employment opportunities for local community
upliftment: We are providing training and job opportunities for people from the local communities to become involved in the booming tourism industry. We employ a majority of previously disadvantaged people from the local community, and we encourage them to further their education, training and horizon to get a better grasp of life and the world. Although this has become a business necessity in South Africa, we view this venture as a way to secure the future for South Africa, a country where tourism has the potential and certainly will become a major source of income and employment. This aim can only be achieved through education and involvement.
10. Safety: We provide self-inflatable lifejackets to all our guests, and we have made the wearing of these jackets compulsory while the boat is moving. This has been designed for your own safety and for the comfort of all of our guests. We also have a lid covering the otherwise open and exposed top of the cage, which prevents any accidental intrusion by a Shark. Our vessel carries a medical kit and oxygen, and a life raft for 60 people. We observe all safety regulations set forward by SAMSA, the South African Maritime Safety Authority. and DEAT, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
11.
Close collaboration with Grootbos Nature Reserve: Marine Dynamics and Dyer Island Cruises have close ties with the famous private Grootbos Nature Reserve located between Gansbaai and Stanford. This resort offers a unique Fynbos discovery experience in one of the most relaxing, charming and exclusive lodges in the world. Grootbos has received many international awards.
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