The White Shark Trust Field Research Assistantship is proud to introduce you to our assistants:

Anna PEZALLA (Oak Park, Illinois, USA), Benjamin WESTROPE (Wilmington, North Carolina, USA), Richard P.A. ATKINSON (Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England), and Chris MILNES (Grantham, Lincolnshore, England).
On Friday the 20th of February 2004, we left early to sea to avoid being stuck on shore during the spring low tide again. So we left the harbour at half past seven, first boat out. Very nice day! Two commercial cage diving boats came to anchor next to us a bit later: Stan (Shark Diving Unlimited) and Swallow (Marine Dynamics). Our assistants were welcomed on board Stan later in the morning to see White Sharks underwater... We observed six different White Sharks today, and both Richard and Ben got to see the Sharks from the cage! Anne decided that she would rather not go into the cage, but just enjoy the Sharks from the surface. That's another great thing about these Sharks, they are just as wonderful and amazing from the boat!
We have received "complaints" from Anne's father that looking through the photo gallery, Anne always just seemed to be responsible for recording data... Well, Anne was on bait line duty today (she actually already was on previous days but without success, hence her reputation and nickname "Shark Repellant", which she disproved today), and here are some pictures...
On Sunday the 22nd of February 2004, a research team from Marine and Coastal Management left for Mossel Bay (about 300 kms East of Gansbaai) to tag eight White Sharks with Ultrasonic Transmitters. Anne, Ben and Richard drew straws to determine who would join this team for one week to assist with the data collection. Anne drew the lucky straw, and left on Sunday afternoon, leaving Ben and Richard very jealous...
On Monday the 23rd of February 2004, myself, Chris, Ben and Richard went to sea... No Sharks! This is the first day in a very long time that we have not observed any Sharks... So apart from talking and joking around, it was a rather boring Shark day... here are some quotes of the day:

Chris: "Is Halle Berry someone's daughter?"

Michael: "What is the name of the movie with Hugh Grant about a boy?"

Richard: "Shark! Shark! Shark! Oh no, sorry, it was just some mellots..."

Ben: "Go to the back of the boat!", while indicating the front of the boat, looking to the back of the boat...
Richard really loves these glasses... We all think (including himself) that he thinks they look great on him... He looks so proud wearing these "Natural Contraceptive Glasses" day after day... Man, he even takes them to his room, just to make sure he can wear them the next day... He even likes his Elton John look!
Tuesday the 24th of February 2004... Second day in a row without any Sharks! Well, it was better than yesterday as we had a glimpse of one White Shark's fin breaking the surface of the water twice...

Guess who is back? Andy Brandy Casagrande the fourth or ABC4 as he likes to be called!!! Andy travelled through most countries in the Southern African region for the past two months since he left Gansbaai before Christmas. He is now a real African celebrity with his "White Shark" and "Poacher" songs. What an amazing trip! We welcomed Andy back to good old Gansbaai, and his friend, Jacques van Tonder, whom he met in Mozambique while diving with Whale Sharks...