Encounter with sharks

For divers

• A good guide will tell you at the briefing which sharks to expect and how to behave.
• If you are diving with sharks, a good guide will tell you about emergency procedures. This should be mandatory at the first briefing anyway, even without sharks!
• If your hobby is photography or filming, ask your buddy or guide to keep an eye on you. But still keep the all around view and not only the "camera view".
• Keep the respect, sharks are wild animals. Touching is a no-go! Just like harassing or feeding.
• Turn around regularly and look behind you. Quickly the shark can be there unnoticed, but just as quickly gone again. Even if none are visible.
• Put on gloves, a head hood, and dark clothing with no contrasts when diving with large sharks that are attracted to fish bait. This is because light contrasts could easily be mistaken for prey.
• Don't touch or approach the bait, even if that's where the action lures for good photos.
• Leave the water when open feeding or hand feeding.
• Stay away from the scent line. (Watch the current line!)
• If a shark swims toward you, stay calm, maintain eye contact and turn with it as it circles you. Assume a vertical posture.
• Sharks always swim forward, they cannot reverse.
• Stay with your group and keep such a small distance that a shark cannot swim in between.

For snorkellers, swimmers and bathers

Be aware of your surroundings and do not snorkel in areas where there are large sharks if ...

• ... sharks are attracted by fish in your snorkeling area (e.g. by anglers, at piers where fish waste is thrown into the water or where kitchen waste etc. might be dumped into the sea, e.g. by safari boats).
• ... there is a river mouth nearby and the water is turbid and agitated.
• ... Sharks are baited or fed for divers.

Behavior tips:

• Practice your fin stroke to avoid splashing sounds at the water's surface.
• No matter with or without fins: Make sure you glide through the water like a mermaid. Splashing is interesting to sharks, like wriggling prey.
• Snorkel together with your buddy.
• It is advantageous if you wear or have with you swimming goggles/diving mask with snorkel, so that you can observe the shark, what it is doing and where it is. Here applies: Keep eye contact.
• Find out about possible currents and avoid them. The sea has an enormous force and can drive you into the open sea.

For surfers

• Do not surf in areas that are shark hunting grounds. Seal, sea lion territory or schools of fish.
• Shark feeding areas for divers should also be strongly avoided.
• River mouths, anglers or fishermen nearby may attract sharks, so also avoid them.
• Murky, choppy water with surf can irritate sharks' senses. Therefore, it is also not recommended to surf there.
• We recommend to take swimming goggles with you.
• If you are tired and need a break, do it completely on the board. Do not let extremities hang in the water.

Remember when there's a shark near:

• Enjoy this unique encounter.
• Stay calm, don't shout or fidget. 
• Do not swim away - this is how prey animals behave and you become interesting for the shark.
• Always watch the shark and turn with the body if possible.
• Do not lose respect.