Mossel Bay Great White Shark Update 16/07/2024, Port And Starboard

For the past two months, Mossel Bay has been eerily devoid of its most famous inhabitants, the great white sharks. After an extended period without any sightings, a lone great white shark was finally spotted by a drone off Seal Island. This shark was seen lurking near the island, likely in anticipation of the baby seals venturing out to hunt for the first time. This sighting provided a much-needed boost of optimism to the local cage diving operations and shark enthusiasts, suggesting that great whites might be slowly returning to Mossel Bay.

Elusive Encounters

Despite this promising sighting, efforts to locate the shark using the cage diving boats proved fruitless over the following weeks. The shark's elusive behaviour added to the mystery and uncertainty surrounding the great white shark population in the bay. The local cage diving operators, who had hoped to showcase these incredible predators once again, were left disappointed as the shark evaded further detection.

The Orca Threat: Port and Starboard Strike Again

On July 14th, coinciding with World Orca Day, Mossel Bay witnessed the arrival of the two infamous orcas again, "Port" and "Starboard." These orcas have gained notoriety for their predation on great white sharks. Initially reported hunting a baby humpback whale on the opposite side of the bay, the orcas eventually made their way around Seal Island, as the marine community tracked their location.

The orcas' presence was brief but significant. They cruised around Seal Island before leaving the bay as swiftly as they had arrived. While there were no reports of a shark kill or any confirmation that the lone great white was still in the bay at the time, the orcas' visit has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the future sightings of great whites in Mossel Bay.

The Impact on Great White Sharks

The sporadic appearances of great white sharks, combined with the looming threat of orcas, paint a complex picture for the future of these apex predators in Mossel Bay. The continual presence of orcas in the region is likely to deter great whites from settling back into their once-familiar hunting grounds. This dynamic creates a challenging environment for both the sharks and the local tourism industry, which relies heavily on shark cage diving and marine wildlife tours.