False Bay Scenic Drive
Surfing is an extremely popular pastime in my country, South Africa. Due to our extensive coastline there are many surfing spots to found and when the surf is up you always find the surfers out there riding the waves. In recent years there have been numerous shark attacks some resulting in the deaths of surfers.
Shark Spotter Hut
Shark Spotters was formed to assist surfers and bathers with a warning system and is particularly active in the Cape Peninsula in the False Bay area. After ever increasing sightings of great white sharks over the years and some fatal attacks, local communities came together and Shark Spotters was started.
How it works is a lookout point is set up, usually on high ground, overlooking the popular surfing and swimming areas. If the person on lookout duty spots a shark in the vicinity he will hoist the appropriate flag and alert his co-worker by radio on the beach who turns on a siren. The swimmers and surfers must then get out of the water.
Surf Spot Below
We took a drive recently along the beautiful coastal road from Gordon’s Bay in False Bay to Hermanus. Along the way we came across one of these spotting stations at a surfing spot called Caves at Kogel Bay. I took some pictures and you will see the lookout hut and the view down to the surfers in the water.
Credit: My own blog and photos.
