24 September 2010

The owners of The Roundhouse Dave & Elna recently visited Mozambique on their annual site inspection for the resorts that they market on www.scubamozambique.com. The trip was very successful with new and exciting packages soon to be introduced. They also had the pleasure of diving and snorkeling with Hump Back Whales, Manta Rays, Whale Sharks, Dolphins and even saw the odd shark.

Mozambique is an exceptional place to visit for large marine life and if you are a diver or non diver Dave & Elna can build in Mozambique into your holiday to South Africa. They are going back again in a couple of few weeks with a large dive group from Poland and cannot wait to get back into the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.

20 September 2010

Dave and Elna are on their way back from spending some time with clients and the Sharks in Mozambique. According to the message I received they had a very successful time and lots of fun up in Mozambique and Durban during Shark week.

17 September 2010

All the Shark operators had to cancel their trips due to the cold front passing through. At least we still have the pleasure of watching the Whales, from shore, breaching and playing in the waves.

13 September 2010

The Roundhouse is saying au revoir and adios to our French Couple and Spanish gentlemen, who stayed with us at The Roundhouse for this past week. It was a pleasure to have enjoyed your company.

9 September 2010

The weather is changing again, but our clients doing the shark cage diving is smiling and they all are having fun. The ones that are leaving us today, is taking a lot of memories with them and lots of pictures.

We hope they all will come and visit us soon.

6 September 2010

What a week!!! I’m looking at The Roundhouse calendar for this week and we are fully booked. The weather couldn’t be better and everyone is enjoying it. We will keep our fingers crossed that it will last.

4 September 2010

Dave and Elna, the owners of The Roundhouse and The Great White Adventure Center have left for Durban and Mozambique at a very early hour this morning. The Roundhouse staff wish them a save journey and beautiful weather.

28 August 2010

It has been a very busy week for Dave and Elna, the owners of The Great White Adventure Centre and The Roundhouse. They are in the midst of shark week arrangements.

SharkWeek’ has been designed for divers wanting the best possible experience of diving with sharks. All diving takes place without cages. The dive team will introduce you to the many different species of shark that we have on our coastline.

This week will start of in Durban and then move over to Cape Town. That will give the dive enthusiast, that couldn’t attend it in Durban, also a change.

After Shark week they are off to Mozambique for some more scuba diving with clients. I wish them all the success, fun and a save journey.

2 August 2010

Gansbaai was like a ghost town this morning. You can hear the people and the cars, but can’t see them. Due to a thick wet blanket of fog with a visibility of about 4m we thought the Shark operators will have difficulty in locating the sharks, but hold and behold they had an excellent day, even had a whale passing close by.

The fog cleared eventually and they day turned out sunny and warm. That is why Gansbaai is so popular. Never know what to expect next.

4 August 2010

Here at The Roundhouse we are quite busy. Luckily for us the weather is playing along, needless to say, our clients love it and the shark operators can’t keep up with all the bookings. The sharks are plenty and the whales here in De Kelders are attracting a lot off sightseers.

We couldn’t ask for better.

9 August 2010

It is like a beehive here at The Roundhouse. We are expecting a big family from Spain and everything must be spick and span for their visit.

12 August 2010

The weather turned on us again a few days ago, but today seems like it’s going to be beautiful. I took the Spanish family to the caves at The Plaat, but before we reached our destination we saw some Whales and stopped. We could take some excellent photos from shore and could even here some “talking” between the whales.

They truly are magnificent animals and so big.

After the exploration of the caves I took them to Kleinbaai for their shark cage diving experience.

All in all it was a wonderful day spent with some big hearted and friendly guests.

16 August 2010

The Roundhouse is shaking it feathers in preparation for the Dark Tide film crew. We wish them a comfortable stay and all the success with there production.

31 July 2010

Surprise surprise! I watched the weather report last night and they said the nice weather will hold for the next week at least and what a surprise this morning. Strong winds and a very choppy sea which means some of the shark cage diving trips were canceled, but while I was trying to keep my hair on my head and not in the air, I saw the first signs of spring, a beautiful white blossom tucked away low on the ground between two trees.

I have a feeling that it’s going to be a wonderful spring and summer. The whales are giving birth and breeding at De Kelders and giving us a splendid show each time they breach and what a sight when you see a few whale’s skin glistening in the setting sun while they laze in the water just meters from shore.

28 July 2010

It is interesting to read something on the net and you just can't wait to share it with someone. I red that the North American Right whale increases the volume of their calls as environmental noise increases. They produce up calls, or also called contact calls, when they are alone or in the process of joining with other whales. An up call begins low and rises in pitch. It is the most frequent call produced by Right whales

The up-call is useful because it’s distinctive and is a little like small talk. It is the sounds of a right whale going about its day and letting others know it’s nearby.

It sounds like a loving family or community, much like we have here in Gansbaai.

27 July 2010

The reason why Gansbaai is the Big 2 Town or also known as the Capital of the Great White Shark is because no shark nets are used here so the Great White and the Southern Right Whales together with other sea creatures are safe to swim in these waters.

South Africa is one of three countries in the world that use shark nets, the other two countries are New South Wales in Australia and Hong Kong. The authorities claim it is to protect beach goers, but the nets don’t discriminate and cause huge ecological damage. Apart from approximately 1000 sharks caught every year, a large number of harmless shark species as well as Whales, dolphins, stingrays and sea turtles are caught and die in these nets.

21 July 2010

The owners of the Great White Adventure Centre and of The Roundhouse love what they do and that is to organize either a scuba dive holiday in Mozambique or just a day out Shark cage diving in Gansbaai. They work according to the clients wants and needs and the client will have a tailor made holiday package.

They are also passionate about the sharks in our oceans and were excited when they read on the WWF website about a Mr. Herrmann who invented a gadget to safe the sharks. He used a shark's ability to detect magnetic fields as a way to protect them from accidentally being caught on fishing lines. He found that placing strong magnets just above the baited hooks on long-line fishing nets seemed to repel certain shark species away from the lines.

It has become vital to protect the Great White who is but one of 350 different types of shark species and finding ways to do that is an ongoing battle.

19 July 2010

The sun is shining and the sea is calm and serene. The biting cold of these past weeks is on hold for the moment and with a temperature of 22 degrees Celsius for today everybody in Gansbaai is smiling. I was standing on the top deck of The Roundhouse and I saw a Humpback whale swimming lazily in the waters of De Kelders. They normally stay in the open ocean and only occasionally come close to shore.

It is our Whale season in Gansbaai, so we will have lots more whales to see. There is already quite a few Southern Right Whales with there calves close to De Kelders shore line.

10 July 2010

The Shark operators are taking the day off today, with swells of approximately 4.6 m and a wind speed of about 24 km/h and 99% of rain. This is pancake, stay at home in front of a roaring fire in the fireplace day, but as we all know, some of us has to go out and that is why the restaurants in Gansbaai is waiting to welcome anybody looking for something hot to eat and drink.

8 July 2010

The weather in Gansbaai is wonderful these past few days and the shark operators are fully booked and have up to 3 trips a day. I ask some of the visitors at The Roundhouse that went on a trip what is the biggest shark they have seen and the reply normally is about 3 to 3.5 meters.

I did some research and found that in 1993 the biggest Great White Shark ever caught was at the Island of Prince Edward. The shark was about 20 feet long. Unfortunately it didn’t give the weight, but it is interesting to learn that a single shark consumes about 11 tons of food in a year and that it has an enormous liver that can weigh up to 24 percent of its entire weight.

The Great White also avoids fighting for its food. When there is only enough for one, they will have a tail slapping contest. They will swim past each other, slap the surface of the water towards each other and the shark swimming of with the meal is the one with the most tail slaps.

These are such wonderful and interesting animals.

7July2010

Gansbaai. The Capital of The Great White Shark, but there are more than 350 different kinds of sharks and all of them are in some sort of danger.

Scientists can determine the age of a shark by counting the rings that form on its vertebra, much like you would count the rings on a tree to tell its age, and The Great White only reaches sexual maturity at the age of 10 to 12 years and the females only reproduce twice in her whole life.

The female gives birth to 4 to 14 live pups and the pups can be 5 feet or more at birth. They swim away from the mother immediately and have to fend for themselves, there is no maternal care giving at all.

With these facts it is no wonder that sharks are in danger, because most of them are killed before they reached maturity. It’s not only humans that kill them, but it can be other sharks, deceases, and even the Orca. The Orca better known as the Killer Whale sometimes hunt in packs and they are too fast and strong for even the biggest Great White.

Sharks are found in cool, coastal water throughout the world and although there is no reliable data on the Great white’s population the scientists agree that their numbers are decreasing and they are listed as an endangered species.

That is why it is heart warming to read that one hundred and thirteen countries have signed an agreement to protect migratory sharks. This agreement prohibits hunting, fishing, or deliberate killing of the great white shark, basking shark, whale shark, porbeagle shark, spiny dogfish, as well as the shortfin and longfin mako sharks.

7July2010

Gansbaai. The Capital of The Great White Shark, but there are more than 350 different kinds of sharks and all of them are in some sort of danger.

Scientists can determine the age of a shark by counting the rings that form on its vertebra, much like you would count the rings on a tree to tell its age, and The Great White only reaches sexual maturity at the age of 10 to 12 years and the females only reproduce twice in her whole life.

The female gives birth to 4 to 14 live pups and the pups can be 5 feet or more at birth. They swim away from the mother immediately and have to fend for themselves, there is no maternal care giving at all.

With these facts it is no wonder that sharks are in danger, because most of them are killed before they reached maturity. It’s not only humans that kill them, but it can be other sharks, deceases, and even the Orca. The Orca better known as the Killer Whale sometimes hunt in packs and they are too fast and strong for even the biggest Great White.

Sharks are found in cool, coastal water throughout the world and although there is no reliable data on the Great white’s population the scientists agree that their numbers are decreasing and they are listed as an endangered species.

That is why it is heart warming to read that one hundred and thirteen countries have signed an agreement to protect migratory sharks. This agreement prohibits hunting, fishing, or deliberate killing of the great white shark, basking shark, whale shark, porbeagle shark, spiny dogfish, as well as the shortfin and longfin mako sharks.

30 June 2010

I have come to the last room in The Roundhouse, which is also our Honeymoon Suite.Carcharias(Carcharodon carcharias), also known as The Great White Shark, white pointer, white shark or the white death.

It is a large lamniform shark found in coastal surface water in all major oceans and is well known for its size and can reach up to 6 meters (20 feet) in length or even exceeds that, and can weigh 2240 kg or more. I don’t have to tell you a lot about the Carcharias, because it is one of the most feared and the most “loved” animal in the ocean besides the Cetecea.

The Carcharias reaches maturity at around 15 years and only then can they start to reproduce young and they have a life span of over 30 years. He is the Apex predator of the ocean and is known to prey upon a variety of marine animals, such as pinnipedea, Chordates and even smaller Cetecea and is the only surviving species of its genus, the Carcharodon.

The Great White shark has to thank the famous movie “Jaws” for its reputation, but also for the research and in the end the protection they richly deserve.

26 June 2010

Chordata: All mammals are chordates. Mammals include such animals as humans, dogs, monkeys and so on. Vertebrae are something that is found in almost every living thing.

Chordates are well represented in the ocean, freshwater and the land, from the Equator to the high northern and southern latitudes of our earth. The smallest Chordates are about 1 cm in length when matured and the largest that have ever existed are some dinosaurs that reached more than 20 m but the Blue Whale are still with us and can grow to about 30m.

Chordates are active animals, well some of us are, with bilaterally symmetric bodies that are divided into a head, the body and the tail and the most distinctive feature of a chordate is the nerve cord, visceral cleft and arches.

At last something that we can relate to.

25 June 2010

Pinnipedia or Pinnepeds or also known as Seals, Sea lions, and Walruses. This room is specifically designed for family and friends and can sleep up to 4 people.

Some interesting facts about the pinnipeds:

They are divided into 34 species, all of which are assigned to 3 families of the mammalian order Carnivora: The Otaniidae, Phicidae and Odobenidae. The Otariids are 14 species of seal lions and fur seals. The Phicids are 19 species of true seals or also reffered to as the earless or crawling seal. Odobenids is family of single specie, the walrus.

Pinnepeds are specialized carnivores that live in a diversity of marine and freshwater habitats. One feature that unifies these groups are the fact that all must return to land or ice to give birth or breed. They spend a considerable amount of time in the water, because they are more agile there than on land. They are excellent divers and can hold their breath for a long period of time.

These animal or specie, the Cape Fur seal, was hunted by humans on Geyser rock in the 1800 of course this slaughtering is not allowed anymore. Geyser Rock is now one of the islands close to Gansbaai that forms part of the well known Shark Alley and a tourist attraction.

24 June 2010

Astacus: You might wonder what that is and if you are a biologist you will know. Astacus leptodactylus, the Danube crayfish or Galician crayfish. Crayfish, crawfish or crawdads is all members of the super families Astacoidea and Parastocoidea.

These are freshwater crustaceans that resemble small lobsters to which they are related. They are found in water that does not freeze to the bottom and mostly found in brooks and streams where there is fresh water running and have plenty shelter against predators. Crayfish or Astacus can not tolerate polluted water. Ways they breathe are through feather-like gills and they feed on living and dead animals and plants.

In South Africa and also in Australia and New Zealand the term crayfish or Cray refers to a saltwater spiney lobster of the genus Jasus that is indigenous to the southern Ocean while the freshwater species are called yabby or koura from the indigenous Australian.

Astacus or crustacean’s predators vary from fish, birds, and otters to the Whale Shark. They are also very popular as bait for fishermen.

Even though the Astacus is not yet in danger and doesn’t need protection, it still needs our respect and the human population needs to be aware of them so that we don’t have to put them on the endangered list.

Another room of The Roundhouse that is honoring Mother Nature.

The study of crayfish is called Astacology.

There are two categories of Ceteceans, the Mysticetes or Baleen whales and the Odontocetes, including the toothed whale, oceanic and river dolphins and porpoises. In the two categories there are 80 species of cetaceans which are air breathing, warm-blooded mammals that bear live young which nurse their young on milk.

The Mysticetes are named for their feeding tools, which is a series of transverse plates of comb-like baleen which descend from the roof of the mouth. Baleen is made of hard but flexible material, similar to that of human fingernails, rooted in the animal's upper jaw. The baleen act like a sieve, allowing a whale to strain food out of the water which includes small fish and plankton.

During Whale season we have mostly the Southern Right whale in the bay, which is a Mysticetes. These are plankton feeders and they come to Gansbaai to breed, give birth and nurture their young before going back to Antartic. We also have the Humpback and the Bryde’s whale in our waters which are all part of the Mysticetes family. The Bryde’s Whale resides in our waters all year round and the Humpback Whales are mainly seen at the beginning and end of the Whale seasons are they pass through our waters on the way up to the Mozambique channel to give birth in the warm Indian Ocean waters.

We have many dolphins that visit these waters which fall into the Odontocetes family which as we all know are fish and meat eaters.

The owners of The Roundhouse are very passionate about nature and used these names in honor of these beautiful animals.

The whole of the Southern Ocean was declared a whale sanctuary and despite a moratorium on commercial whaling in these waters, each year over 1000 whales are killed for the commercial market. In order to help secure the future of the whales, the WWF is developing an ambitious conservation programme for endangered species and populations.

The WWF Cetaceans Action Plan aims to ensure that by 2012 a significant reduction of treats to Cetacean populations that are currently endangered or are likely to become endangered, is achieved.

The Great White Adventure Centre support this programme by not only offering shark cage dives, but also whale watching trips.

18 June 2010
A lot of The Roundhouse clients have wondered about the names of our rooms. Let’s take the room Cetecea. This name refers to the Whales and Dolphins – Common Name: Cetaceans; Cetaces.
There is only a few of us that know that these beautiful species are still in danger or vulnerable, regardless of decades of protection. These animals are succumbing to new and ever-increasing dangers. Collisions with ships entanglement in fishing gear are threatening the North Atlantic right whale with extinction. The Western North Pacific gray whale is critically endangered and at serious risk because of intensive oil and gas developments in its feeding grounds.
The reason for this info is because our Whale season has started in Gansbaai and a lot of tourists come here to do some shark cage diving with the Great White Shark and to see the Southern Right Whale.
Let us take note and think of the future of these animals.

How bad the Gulf of Mexico oil spill will turn out to be for wildlife, I wonder. The staff of the Roundhouse and The Great White Adventure Centre is very passionate about the protection of our planet and to read about the oil spill causes a great concern for all. This oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is putting the birds, the Manatee and the Atlantic bluefin tuna in grave Danger.
The birds are in their breeding season and especially vulnerable. Some of the migratory seabirds are also to be seen in Gansbaai when you come over for a Shark cage dive or do some Whale watching.
Let us all hope that this problem will come to an end soon.

Tuesday 15 June 2010

It is so cold today I thought I had to go look for a Polar Bear and then I heard the news. “Snow has fallen on mountains in the Western Cape - including reports of snow on Table Mountain - as a cold front sweeps across the province.” Luckily the weather will turn warmer again thanks to the warm and friendly people coming to Gansbaai to see the famous Great White Shark

14 June 2010
Eco-Tourism has always been seen as an important part of the Western Cape economy – especially over the last decade or so. People of today are more aware of nature and are more inclined to protect nature. That is why the Capetonians don’t mind the wind and rain that is once more been poured over us in buckets.

Today the shark trips have all been cancelled. We are looking at 5 meter swells for the rest of the day, hopefully calming down towards tomorrow. We are re-booking all of our shark diving clients for the end of the week. I suggest that if you can find a tour guide, why not go and relax in a cosy wine cellar in front of a fireplace? Check out the photo. We love photographing the storms here in Gansbaai. Grab your camera and get down to the Gansbaai harbor!

03 June 2010
Yesterday we had a lovely hot autumn day. This morning we had some thunder and lightning and then mother earth took a nice shower. It might be that mother earth wanted to be clean and fresh to welcome the English Soccer Team. The staff off the Great White Adventure Centre also welcomes you.

05 June 2010
What a beautiful morning. Standing with a guest, Oliver Labak, on the balcony of The Roundhouse looking over the calm blue ocean while having a delightful discussion from the whales to finances.

08 June 2010
Brrr!!!! But it’s cold and wet outside. A nice cup of soup in front of a fire place is the only place to be, but with the sun showing his bright smile on occasion we know that the cold and rain will not last. Why not visit Bengueala Restaurant for some comfort food!

09 June 2010
Just as I predicted. The sun is smiling his full bright smile again. I wonder how long it will last. It is after all our winter season, which of coarse means that we get a lot of wind and rain. That is why we have such beautiful green landscapes.

10June 2010
I think the Whales are teasing us this year, because now you see them and then they’re gone. We had 3 Humpback Whales again in our waters and now they have moved on again. I can’t wait for the Whale season to begin next month. Mozambique whale season is also starting soon. If you are heading that way, visit our sister company, Scuba Mozambique.

Festival of the Geese

It’s that time of the year. Well Almost. The festival of the Geese will start on Friday the 25th of June 2010 until Sunday the 27 June 2010. The festival attracts more than 10 000 visitors each year. We have a live band and a procession on Saturday morning through the streets of Gansbaai with our famous colorful Kaapse Klopse. The harbour will be filled with local arts and craft stores so remember your spending money. The food stalls are always a winner so make sure you buy lunch early.Local soccer teams will play matches and much more. Come stay at The Roundhouse and see what the fuss is all about. Book your white shark cage diving in advance!

Unpredictable Shark Cage Diving

The main issue with the current autumn weather conditions is it makes planning shark cage diving extremely difficult. For instance, this week so far has yielded a perfect summers day, fog, an overcast day that varied from hot to cold to hot again, and an average overcast day. Autumn and spring are difficult seasons, worse than winter since in winter you expect rain with relative frequency.

Last year, during the month of September, White Shark Projects spent more days off sea than they did on. The weather not only prevents our guests of the Roundhouse Guesthouse from going out on a specific day, but makes it difficult to actually say when they can. Over Easter weekend, clients came to Gansbaai specifically to do shark cage diving, and they had to leave disappointed as three days of the four day weekend was completely unsuited for cage diving.

Winter is going to be a welcome change, since we actually expect rough seas and rain when a cold front comes through.

Quiet Gansbaai Guesthouses

The week after Easter and the Kreef Derby is always a particularly quiet period, similarly to the time after Christmas and New Years. The torrent of tourists, more often than not local, leave after the holiday period and Gansbaai returns to its usual sleepy self. The Roundhouse Guesthouse is dead quiet this weekend, and it was completely booked up last weekend, comparatively.

Easter is the last big event for the town and the Great White Shark cage diving industry before the start of the high season in June. The high season is when shark viewing is at is at its peak, and the Southern Right and Humpback whales grace our shores. If the weather plays along (June is the beginning of the South African winter, and is the Western Cape's rainy season), cage diving will be outstanding. We spoke to Great White Shark Tours earlier this afternoon, and their trips are cancelled for the next few days due to sea conditions. Lets hope that isn't an omen for winter.

The End of Easter Weekend

Easter weekend is drawing to a close, and poor weather has halted all shark cage diving boats for two days straight. A telephone call to Great White Shark Tours confirmed the cancellation today. The weather has been really unfortunate as Easter is one of the busiest times of the year here in Gansbaai, with a lot of people coming here to the see the sharks. A Mozambique holiday is beginning to sound really good now doesn't it?

On the other hand, the Kreef Derby appeared to be a rousing success. We could hear the music from the Adventure Centre! Despite the rain for most of Saturday, it seems people were still really keen to attend the annual festival.

Bizarre Weather and The Kreef Derby

The weather of Gansbaai has continued its strange streak of varying between wonderfully warm and chilling cold, usually within a few hours of each other. It hasn't done the town much good, as one of our staff members who got pneumonia can attest to. We hear the weather in Mozambique is still great, with temperatures ranging from 24 to 34 degrees Celsius. Sounds like a great time for a Mozambique diving holiday.

Tomorrow, April 3rd, is Gansbaai's annual Kreef Derby, one of the biggest highlights of the year for the region. Aside from the fishing connotations, its an excellent day for families and friends to see live bands, browse through a flea market and gorge on delicious food! The Roundhouse Guesthouse is, predictably, mostly fully booked up for the event, with some of the performers staying with us.

Despite the bizarre weather, Gansbaai is still moving full steam ahead with its festivities, and the official beginning of the shark cage diving season in June.

The Joys of Autumn

Our apologies again for not keeping you more updated on the happenings here at The Roundhouse Guesthouse.

The past two weeks have been both busy and quiet. Shark Alley, our new shop in Kleinbaai, is now in full operation. 99% of the construction and alterations are done, and the new stock arrived last week, filling the shelves with some really stunning clothing designed by our very own Elna and Dave Caravias.

Great White Shark Tours, one of the eight operators in area, have reported continued excellent sighting of Great Whites throughout the last two weeks, and the visibility is starting to go back to winter levels too. In other exciting news, White Shark Diving Co have reported that their new boat is due very soon, probably this week!

Have a good week in the meantime, its now less than 80 days to the FIFA World Cup 2010!

Ending Off Summer With A Bang

Our sincerest apologies for not posting anything here for the better part of two weeks, it has been whirlwind of time at The Roundhouse.

We have been almost solidly booked each day for the last two weeks, with representatives of all parts of world gracing our guesthouse. Tonight, we have a Swedish family and British couple, amongst others, staying with us. A few nights ago, we had a couple from Minnesota in the States on their honeymoon, and a family from Holland.

Aside from that, the weather has been absolutely bizarre, ranging from cold and miserable to perfect beach weather... on the same day! Luckily, this hasn't effected the shark cage diving as we have had consistent sightings of around 5 sharks per trip. The excellent viewings for this traditionally low season are here to stay, it seems, until the high season starts again.

Our new shop, Shark Alley, has been open for around 2 weeks now, and it looks fantastic! The signs are up and its almost fully prepared, with just small maintenance jobs left to do. If you ever find yourself in Kleinbaai, please come have a look inside. We are very proud of it.

The wet season in Mozambique is coming to an end now, so planning a diving holiday in Mozambique without fear of torrential rain is possible now. Why not give it a try?

Cool Weather Soothes The Hot Overberg

Its give us great pleasure to announce its been raining today, for the first time in about a month. Its cool outside, and no one is melting in their offices and shops for a change. We will probably be sad when winter arrives to freeze us all, but for the moment, the cool air is a great change of pace.

And, the cherry on the cake, no shark cage diving trips were cancelled today, so none of our guests had to rearrange their plans. Instead, they just had to use a warm jacket.

Speaking of weather, our very first trips to Bassas da India are creeping up closer and closer! It's a trip of a lifetime, and if you are an experienced scuba diver, we highly recommend checking it out.

Thinking about Heading to Mozambique?

Last week, Hein and Casper from Cafe no Mar in Praia do Tofo visited us for a few days. They are born and bred South Africans, and decided it was time for a trip to their home country. They, along with Elna and Dave, went cage diving with Great White Shark Tours on Friday, sample some of the local cuisine (Casper is an expert chef), before heading off to Stellenbosch. Cafe no Mar is one of our favourite guesthouses in Praia do Tofo since the service, as well as the location, is excellent.

Keep an eye out on Divestyle Magazine (a friend of The Roundhouse) as an article on Cafe no Mar will be published in it soon. We have had a chance to see a draft of it, and it perfectly sums up what makes Cafe no Mar so special. If you are looking for a quality guesthouse in Tofo with some excellent cooking, the article on Cafe no Mar might help you make up your mind.

Big News Day!

Today has been a truly exciting day. Elna and Dave Caravias, the owners of The Roundhouse Guesthouse Sharkbookings and Scuba Mozambique, took us all out for breakfast this morning to celebrate the reopening of Shark Alley!

Shark Alley was their first retail outlet, where clients could book shark cage dives and trips to Mozambique. In 2007, they moved their office to its current location, The Great White Adventure Centre, and Shark Alley closed its doors. Three years on, we are currently furnishing Shark Alley version 2 in Kleinbaai harbour, metres away from the crew houses of Great White Shark Tours and White Shark Projects.

The premises is absolutely stunning, and we can't wait to officially open the doors.

Apex Expeditions, and the Heat

Wow, today is hot. The humidity is uncomfortably high, and all you want to is climb into the sea, however the wind is horrid so that isn't possible either. All in all, its the worst possible summers day. It would be perfect Sunday weather, however its Monday today. Atleast all the shark cage diving boats went out this morning trouble-free, and this kind of weather would work while out at sea. We had a few clients out today, and a couple of Italians we spoke to had a brilliant time.

A few hours ago, Apex Expeditions, the Cape Town Great White shark breaching trips operator, called us and asked if we had space for two of their clients. These two German clients will now be staying in our Pinnepedia suite at the Roundhouse Guesthouse tomorrow evening.

We hope they enjoy our Gansbaai accommodation as much they enjoyed the False Bay cage diving!

A Big Bunch of Belgians

Today, we served breakfast for a group of 13 Belgians, all very excited about their shark dive with White Shark Projects today. They came into our shop (The Great White Adventure Centre), and proceeded to take over the shop with excited chatter while looking through clothing and other shark-related goods. It was heartwarming to see people so excited to see the Great White, and there is nothing better than hosting clients who share our passion.

The weather today was really bizarre though, with a cold morning/warm afternoon one-two combo which tries to ruin everyones day, but the sheer spirit of the Belgian group couldn't have been broken by a thunderstorm and gale force winds.

They came back into the shop before leaving Gansbaai, and told us that they saw 5 sharks today, which is still an excellent number given the conditions were not what we would call a perfect day. Abnormalities in weather leads to abnormalities in the sea, so the swell picked up when it should have remained consistent with the flat seas from last week.

One of the Belgian ladies told us they had an exquisite time despite the poor visibility, which pleases us immensely.

Its a group like this that debunks the theory that its pointless going shark diving in February.

On a more amusing note, its funny how similar Afrikaans is to Dutch (or atleast Belgian Dutch). We communicated without any hassle with us speaking Afrikaans and them speaking Dutch. Incredible.

The First Day of the Low Season

Today's the first of February, which means the first day of the low season insomuch that February and March are the only two months of the year when a no-sighting day becomes a valid concern.

Over the past five years, we have had six no-sighting days, all of which were in these two months. Hopefully, since we have excellent sightings over January, this year won't be a no-sighting day. Great White Shark Tours reported an average of between six and ten sharks for most days over January, which is still an unbelievable.

Lets hope that carries on.

Quiet Week, Irregular Weather

Its been very quiet here in Gansbaai. The Roundhouse Guesthouse has been quiet and so has the rest of Gansbaai accommodation. This is the usual drop after the chaos of summer, but its still rather unnerving when the roads and shops are as quiet as they are now.

The weather has been highly irregular too, perhaps echoing the recent shark activity, with wintery days dominating this week. Cool in the morning and evenings, with some warmth in the afternoon, peppered with seemingly random pockets of humidity. Its all rather confusing.

This is the time of year where I would venture up to Mozambique, where you know how the weather works all the time and can prepare for it. Lets no forget its delicate exotic-ness. Perhaps its time you tried scuba diving in Mozambique? There's no time like the present to learn something completely new.

Great White Sharks Still Making A Good Showing

In what has been a surprising turn of events, Great Whites have been coming out in full force lately.

Great White Shark Tours, one of the eight operators in the region, reported NINE Great Whites on their trip out this past Friday. Nine is an unusually high number from late January, so our clients are enjoying a small bonus. It also shows people who come out to see the Great White in the low season can still enjoy a great showing by the apex predator.

Lets hope it continues well into February.

The Whales Are Gone

January isn't our favourite month here at the Roundhouse Guesthouse for several reasons. Firstly, all the tourists leave in early January and return to their respective parts of the country. Secondly, the cage diving industry enters its low season (for more information on the cage diving seasons, please check this post) and thirdly, the whales leave.

The Southern Right and Humpback whales leave our coastline and make their way back to the Antarctic to feed now, and a quick look out to sea will reveal that every one of them has left. They return in June typically, but it always feels like a long wait for their return. From June till December, the lazy whales basking in along our shores becomes a visual staple for tourists and locals alike. When they leave with their recently birthed young, it feels like a little bit of Gansbaai is leaving with them.

On the plus side, its the perfect time to go see a behemoth of the sea that shares their name, the Whale shark. Scuba Mozambique will tend to your needs and wants efficiently, so you can see and dive with the magnificent Whale shark as soon as you want to. We often refer our guests to them since their staff are always so lovely and helpful. We hope they provide as memorable service to you and they do to us year in and year out.

A Shark Diving Myth

Here at the Roundhouse Guesthouse, we often get guests who are concerned about the environmental impact shark cage diving has on the Great Whites in the region. Some have outright said that they won't be part of an industry that draws Great Whites closer to the shore and encourages them to eat the bait we give them instead of hunting themselves.

Firstly, the cage diving industry does not feed the Great Whites. The chum (which is a wholly natural combination of fish oil and other fish byproducts) lures them to the boat, and the Tuna head is used to keep the sharks visually engaged. Occasionally, they will bite onto the bait before the bait handler has a chance to pull it away. If they want the Tuna head, they will have to work for it, so there is no outright feeding of the sharks.

Dyer Island, where the sharks spend the bulk of the year off our coast, is home to approximately 60 000 Cape Fur seals. The Great Whites have been coming here for years due to the abundance of natural prey; fish oil and Tuna heads won't make any difference. To quote a colleague, its like a drop in the ocean.

Thomas Peschak, a noted Great White photographer and book author, has scientifically dispelled the above myths through his book 'Great White Shark'. His work has been recognised by National Geographic and BBC Wildlife.

Please don't let ignorance of our industry prevent you from visiting our charming part of the South African coast and partake in one of the worlds greatest experiences.

Below: Peschak's most famous photograph taken off our coastline.

The Shark Cage Diving Seasons

Things around The Roundhouse and Gansbaai are beginning to quieten down now. It appears the Summer holiday rush is now at the tail end of its yearly cycle, and its life in the area returns to its normal rustic nature.

Now that things are quieter, we thought we could explain how the Shark Cage Diving seasons work since its such an important activity for most, if not all, of our guests.

The easiest way to look at it is Winter is the high season, while Summer is low season. Autumn is when the sharks return to Dyer island, while Spring is when they start to leave. You can consider autumn and spring the 'mid season' for shark diving.

Lets get in the specifics. The low season, where you probably wont see more than 3-5 sharks per trip, starts around the middle of January and ends at the end of March/beginning of April. The high season then starts around the middle of April, with the high season for professional photographers, filmmakers and other media people beginning in June.

The whales arrive around June as well, so the best time of year for the full Gansbaai experience is in winter. From June till September, you will see the most sharks and the most whales, fact. September to early December are excellent for sharks too, but the wind that spring brings can wreak havoc on the industry. The whales leave in December too.

For most people, the best time of year to come is South Africa's winter months. Sharks and whales are out in abundance, and it should be easy to travel without too many other tourists to worry about, so finding Gansbaai accomodation will be easier, and spaces on the local shark operators such as Great White Shark Tours or White Shark Projects will be far more plentiful than the busy December months.

The Hottest Day of the Year, Amongst Some of the Busiest

Yesterday the sun decided it was time to show its full strength with a blast of sweltering heat all around the Western Cape, Gansbaai included. The Great White Adventure Centre saw a spike in water sales, which wasn't unexpected. Instead of going to the beach to enjoy the perfect (just violently warm) day, we were inundated with clients looking for a guesthouse to stay at overnight, or a day trip with the shark cage diving. It was so busy that we had to unfortunately turn away clients due to the fact that we had reached maximum capacity.

Today we are still at capacity and the cage diving industry is full too. Even Great White Shark Tours, who have the largest and most technologically advanced boat, are fully booked till Friday.

We also wish the happiest of new years to all our future and previous clients, and if these past 2 weeks are anything to go by, this year will be better than ever.