... if there's a Great White Shark waiting to eat you for dinner. That's what the flag is telling people at the Fish Hoek beach. The False Bay side of the Cape Peninsula is home to a number of very large Great White Sharks. Over the years a few people have been hurt or killed, and now we have a great "shark spotter" program. The spotters sit high up on the mountain and can see the shadows of the sharks. They are in radio contact with the beach life-guards, and communicate unusual movements to the teams on the beach. I've been in the water at Fish Hoek when the White Flag (Shark has been spotted! Get out of the water now!) goes up, and it's amazing how quickly the water is cleared.
Originally started the project to improve my photography skills. Over a 2500 photos later it's become a personal diary. I post pictures that mark my...
Looks like the green flag means the beach/surf is safe. Why would there be a Red flag??? Especially if white is spotted- get out? Maybe my mind is working that well this morning.
This is a great system so long as people actually heed the warnings! And vistors often don't understand the signs. That flag would have me looking for Greg Norman (former golfer aka The Great White Shark)
@palusami The shark net option was looked at very carefully, but the feedback the public were given is that they cause their own set of ecological problems, so this is an attempt to create a new way to manage the situation. We also have the wonderful geography with high, accessible mountains near the sea where the shark spotters can sit.
A green flag means visibility for the spotters is good, and no sharks have been seen.
A black flag means visibility for the spotters is poor, but no sharks have been seen.
A red flag means a shark has been seen recently, but is no longer visible to the spotters
A white flag with a black shark, along with a loud siren, means a shark has been sighted, and bathers should leave the water immediately
Important notice: No flag means that shark spotters are not on duty.