The White Shark Trust Field Research Assistantship is proud to introduce you to our assistants:

Anna PEZALLA (Oak Park, Illinois, USA), Benjamin WESTROPE (Wilmington, North Carolina, USA), Richard P.A. ATKINSON (Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England), and Benjamin De RIDDER (Schotten, Belgium).
On Saturday the 20th of March 2004, Shark Diving Unlimited generously invited the White Shark Trust team and Marine and Coastal Management team on board Barracuda to test the new biopsy needle that I designed. This needle is attached at the end of a pole and allows us to retrieve a very small piece of muscle tissue from the Sharks for moecular studies.
Mike Meyer and Linda from Marine and Coastal Management (i.e. the South African Sea Fisheries Research Institute) joined us. Unfortunately, the needle did not prove successful as planned, so it is back to the drawing board.

Great day though with the Sharks! We observed at least ten different White Sharks in Dyer Island Channel.
On our way back to Kleinbaai harbour, we drove along the beach from the island... and we spotted one White Shark minding her own business along the shores. It is great to observe a Shark in these pristine conditions, i.e. without attracting her to the boat using chum or bait...

Saturday the 20th of March 2004

Happy Birthday Anne!

She made everyone believe that she was turning 26, when in fact we all know that she turned 27...
On Anne's Birthday, Anne knew that as the tradition goes, she would be tasting the cold waters in kleinbaai harbour, but she grabbed the data sheets as a protective shield... Oh well, we go her the next day...
On Sunday the 21st of March 2004, we were invited on board Barracuda (Shark Diving Unlimited), and we observed eight different White Sharks. Benjamin (from Belgium) did not feel too good today... Partying at Die Stal with Tracey and Anne the previous night. And no, we did not get a new assistant... the other Ben (from the USA) just shaved off his Hulk Hogan style beard...