An engaging experience awaited a group of primary school learners as they explored shark behaviour and ocean safety using a variety of interactive tools and games designed for fun and learning by the Shark Spotters team.

Muizenberg, South Africa (28 May 2025) – There’s no better time to learn about nature and its fascinating inner workings than when you’re young and eager.

That is exactly why the Shark Spotters educational team opened the doors to its Information Centre in Muizenberg to the Grade 6 learners from Spine View Primary School for an exciting and educational programme about sharks and ocean safety!

The programme was designed to introduce the youngsters to the fascinating world of shark ecology, with a special focus on shark behaviour.

“Using fun, hands-on tools like shark puppets and real shark specimens, such as jaws, skin, and egg cases, the learners got to see, touch, and explore these incredible creatures up close,” Shark Spotters said.

Learners then dived into a lesson on shark and ocean safety, including a demonstration of how spotting works and the important tools spotters use.

“To test their knowledge, the learners played the Race to Build the Flag game, working together to build all four Shark Spotters flags using puzzle pieces and teamwork.”

In an effort to make sure the young minds were also guided and informed about how to keep safe near the ocean, they also received a featured a practical session by the NSRI on drowning prevention and how to perform CPR.

“This gave the learners important lifesaving knowledge and the confidence to take responsibility for their own safety in and around the water.

“We wrapped up the day with energetic group games like tug of war and grab the cone, bringing big smiles and lots of laughter all around!”

If those bright eyes and wide smiles are anything to go by, it’s safe to say it was certainly an epic day of enviro-learning!

Sources: Shark Spotters

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The dedicated Shark Spotters Coastal Conservation team didn’t hesitate to respond to alerts about a smooth-hound shark that had found itself trapped in the Strandfontein tidal pool.

Cape Town, South Africa (31 January 2025) – A smooth-hound shark’s adventure in the Strandfontein tidal pool ended happily thanks to the Shark Spotters Coastal Conservation team. On a Tuesday afternoon, the team received reports of the shark trapped in the pool.

The small shark’s removal proved complicated due to strong south-easterly winds and murky waters on the day, forcing the team to wait for calmer conditions the following morning (Wednesday) to safely remove and relocate it.

Before the release, researchers made sure to tag the smooth-hound as part of their ORI TAG Cooperative Fish Tagging Project – one of South Africa’s longest-running environmental initiatives.

One of the biggest obstacles to improving the conservation and management of sharks and other marine life is the lack of knowledge on many aspects of biology, ecology, behaviour, and population status.

This tagging project, established in 1984, gathers crucial data for marine conservation and is carried out by trained professionals and citizen scientists.

“Every tag tells a story helping us understand fish movements, growth, and survival,” Shark Spotters said.

With several men on standby to help carry, measure and move the smooth-hound shark, the adventurous fella was soon back to the open waters to go about his journey!

Sources: Shark Spotters

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Thanks to mermaids in Plettenberg Bay, NGO Shark Spotters were able to purchase a new set of wheels that’ll help their marine conservation missions mobilise and reach more young people amongst many other good things!

Plettenberg Bay, South Africa (15 January 2025)—The Plett chapter of Shark Spotters is riding a wave of gratitude thanks to a very special gift made possible by some extra-kind mermaids in their community.

A charity ball dubbed ‘The Mermaid Ball’ encouraged all the mermaids to trade the sea for a night of glitz and glamour. The ball-goers dressed to the nines and made sure to share extra dimes with Shark Spotters in mind; collective efforts that resulted in an incredible R120,000 raised for the NGO.

Thanks to the ‘sparkling success of a ball’, Plett Shark Spotters now have a dedicated vehicle to call their own and another way to mobilise their marine conservation efforts.

“This car is more than just transportation; it’s a symbol of hope, education, and ocean conservation,” the Plett Shark Spotters team shared.

The new wheels will help the team further ensure the safety of beachgoers, expand educational activities by reaching more young people and ultimately advance their capacity for research.

For those who don’t know, Shark Spotters does a lot more than deliver shark sightings. A proud shark safety and research organisation founded by Greg Bertish and Dave and Fiona Chudleigh, their work has been protecting both sharks and people for over 20 years.

Last year, they were the gracious winners of the prestigious NGO Award at the 2024 SANParks Kudu Awards; earned for their hard work in the fields of shark conservation, safety and education.

Their innovative work in the early 2000s was key to people reframing their understanding of sharks from sensationalist ‘scandals’ to animals that exist as part of an ecosystem that humans didn’t fully understand and in many cases still don’t.

The Shark Spotters’ approach has encouraged people to understand themselves as part of a much bigger ecological puzzle; providing coastal visitors and dwellers with objective information, accurate shark spotting from the spotters in their network, and responsible measures for public safety which have been deployed across Cape Town and Plett.

Their conservation work is vital to the entire ocean, while their safety-focused information for both sharks and humans has helped challenge harmful narratives surrounding mainstream shark discourse, especially through non-lethal mitigation strategies.

Sources: Shark Spotters Plett

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Two hundred and forty underprivileged children are on the cusp of experiencing their first-ever beach day, thanks to Breadline Africa and a community of supporters who know just how meaningful an opportunity like this can be in a young child’s life!

Cape Town, South Africa (14 November 2024) — There’s nothing like that first time your toes touch sea sand. Barefoot and gung ho, you make your way to the water’s edge. There’s a flurry of excitement in your belly. You’re anticipating the next wave. Will it splash all over you or gently recede? Sandcastles and happy faces beam as you turn back to the beachside away from the water (you’ll be back for its splash later). The smell of sunblock and ice cream wafts through the air. Your first-ever beach day might just be your new favourite day.

This is the experience Breadline Africa hopes to give 240 children from underserved communities.

The seaside outing is one of Breadline’s longest-standing initiatives that offers children who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity, a chance to have carefree fun at the sea for the first time.

For any child, it’s an experience rivalling magic. For an impoverished child who does not have a safe area to play and has already faced trauma, it’s a life-changing experience that tops magic.

Little Elijah experienced his first-ever beach day last year.

“Playing with my friends in the water, making sandcastles and eating donuts were the best parts of the day!” He shared.

Over four days this December, groups of children will be taken to the ever-scenic St James Beach in Cape Town. Here, they will get to enjoy games, build sandcastles, explore tidal pools and indulge in a delicious lunch. Shark Spotters will also help them learn about the wonders of the ocean and water safety. Each child will also get to go home not only with special memories, but a special gift too.

Breadline Africa is calling on all those who wish to contribute to the first-ever beach day experience. Businesses and individuals with the means to do so are encouraged to get involved and make the dream days come true!

“A day at the seaside opens up their world, creating memories that build confidence and hope for the future,” shares the team.

You can get involved by donating using the below details or find international banking details here.

Investec Bank Limited
Account Number: 10012399069
Branch Code: 580105
SWIFT Code: IVESZAJJXXX
Reference: Seaside

Sources: Supplied

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Two tidal pools in Kalk Bay were recently treated to ‘scuba divers’ who weren’t exactly on the search for exotic fish or treasure. Instead, they embarked on an underwater clean-up to help restore the tidal pools!

Kalk Bay, South Africa (05 November 2024) — There’s nothing quite like taking a dip in a tidal pool. Whether to cool off after a long and hot day, heal your body or simply relax, South Africa is home to many beloved tidal pools that offer so many benefits to those who use them.

But, taking a plunge into a tidal pool only to have your toes intertwined with plastic isn’t great for the mood.

Tidal pools, against their will, sometimes act as watery bins. This is because the trash that flows from the sea or shore can end up in their space where it can end up getting trapped or on the flow to deeper seas.

But in good news for two Kalk Bay tidal pools, a team stepped up to tackle the pollution problem—scuba style.

Organised by the City of Cape Town, Shark Spotters Coastal Conservation team and Graduate Training Programme interns recently took to the pools to give them an underwater spring clean.

The team (who had earned their Class V commercial diving certifications) dove deep to clear the litter wherever it hid under the surface.

“It’s jarring to see how much plastic has infiltrated our ocean spaces, even in man-made ones like tidal pools,” said Megan Vokes who is a Graduate Training Programme intern.

“Plastic pieces ranged from tiny fragments small enough for an urchin to cover itself with, to large pieces that required more effort to remove. These coastal spaces were created for our enjoyment, and it’s heartbreaking that we struggle to keep them clean.”

As always, more awareness is key to more efforts like the above! Communities that live near tidal pools can and should push local governments for more proper underwater clean-ups, while companies that sell divers and scuba gear are encouraged to get involved and continue keeping tidal pools a place of pollution-free peace.

Sources: Shark Spotters 

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post An Underwater Clean-up Helped Restore Two Tidal Pools! appeared first on Good Things Guy.