A heart-stopping moment was captured on video as a tour guide had a terrifying encounter with a great white shark while on board a boat in Mossel Bay.
The footage shows a three-metre great white leaping out of the ocean to snatch a large piece of bait, its razor-sharp teeth clamping around it before shaking it frantically until it breaks free. This heart-pounding incident took place near Klein Brak Beach, close to Mossel Bay.
According to Daily Mail, the boat carrying Mark Graham, a 31-year-old from England, was guiding a tour to dive with great white sharks, approximately 30 minutes from Mossel Bay harbour.
The tour lasted around four hours, during which Mark was able to capture intense images and videos of the sharks opening their jaws, coming as close as two metres away.
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Mark expressed his excitement at capturing such incredible content. Although he frequently takes groups out to view sharks, the ones he usually encounters are not as feisty.
He emphasised that no one felt scared during the encounter, and even guests who initially hesitated to get in the water changed their minds and entered the cage to experience the sharks up close.
While great white sharks are typically slow and curious, often staying just below the surface to investigate the boat and the cage, there are days when they display their incredible predatory abilities by breaching out of the water and lunging for bait. Mark described the experience as amazing when these active days occur.
In addition to sharing his thrilling encounter, Mark is keen to dispel stereotypes about these magnificent creatures. He believes that the reputation of sharks as dangerous predators is unjustified, pointing out that in 2022, there were only five fatal shark attacks worldwide, whereas humans kill over 11 000 sharks every hour.
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Mark wants people to appreciate sharks for what they truly are – animals, not monsters. He encourages others to see them in the wild if given the opportunity, as he believes it will change their perception and foster a greater understanding of the importance of these creatures in the ecosystem.
Watch the encounter below:
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Picture: Daily Mail