Sharks up close.

Mighty tiger sharks, hammerhead sharks shy, curious bull sharks: a direct encounter with the predators of the seas for many divers is the culmination of her hobbies. ONLINE blogs shows the best dive sites - and explains when the enthusiasm for the fish is dangerous.

 

Since two hours dümpelt the small boat before the South African Gaansbai. Most of the divers on board waiting to have their stomach contents on the side already emptied miserably because it stinks of fish and the high swell proposes on mood. The fish smell coming from a large t. deck whose content from skipper portions is disposed in the sea: attractants for the king. The waiting tugs on the nerves, it is hot, almost windless. Then comes the shark.

The king of the seas is not cute. Not nice. Not friendly. His grim expression, in conjunction with some of Hollywood productions led to the cry "Shark!" still one of the fastest ways to make a deserted bay with bathers to get. But the divers on board behave differently, they want into the sea.

Once the characteristic dorsal fin cutting the water, they can glide in a cage for the Great White Shark up close to see. They observe an animal that is completely different behavior than in the movies: The shark moves slowly, carefully, almost cautiously, as he opened with a foot in the bait bites. Can a bite almost tenderly call?

With a queasy feeling in the abdomen are the divers in the cage increased, they jubilantly out again: At least as of today they are "haisüchtig", has its journey around the globe in the area between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town worthwhile.

2000 dives without Haibiss

Against the backdrop of Table Mountain take mighty Atlantic and Indian Ocean, get flogged the surf to the cape of good hope. Whales and dolphins move along the coast and on the offshore islands innumerable seals cavort, the favorite food of the Great Whites. Who comes to South Africa, will fail to enjoy the colorful coral - who appears here, wants to see sharks. The more and the bigger the better.

DIVE-QUIZ

AP; Linus Geschke; Andreas Hilsenbeck

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One of the most profound connoisseur of the scene is Roland Mauz, who has 20 years with his company "African Dive Adventures" shark dives below offers. The 50-year-old has its headquarters in Margate, a small town near Durban. From there starts Mauz to "Protea Banks." There are neatly flow, visibility often less than 15 meters and water temperatures from 18 to 23 degrees Celsius - ideal conditions for Haibegegnungen. "Depending on the season, we have schools of hammerhead sharks by more than a hundred animals, this sand tiger and bull sharks in South Africa 'Zambesi Sharks' called," says Mauz.

Over 2000 dives, he has already performed with sharks, all without ever bitten them. "It is a great experience with these wild, potentially dangerous animals are often close to interact and in their mid-to be accepted." A fascination that also in other parts of the world, more and more divers in its spell.