If you are looking to swim with sharks but without say the danger aspect, then The Shark Lab at The Point in Mossel Bay has the perfect solution for you – a swim in their pool with a couple of friendly smooth-hound sharks.
Situated directly atop the rock channel that runs below the St. Blaize Cave, the Shark Lab actually does a lot of important work with regards to researching, rescuing and protecting local sharks and marine life, in conjunction with their time spent educating both fisherman and the public at large about these big apex predators.
Their tiny space is also home to what they have dubbed a mini-aquarium, essentially a room or two with a few fish in tanks, a view into the pool containing the smooth hound sharks, and a shallow open air “rock pool” that contains a lot of starfish, anemone and quite often, a playful octopus clambering about.
Indigo the octopus is an absolute delight mind you. A clever girls that loves playing fetch with a ball and is a brilliant teaching aid to help the kids get a better understanding about these intelligent cephalopods. (Plus, which kid doesn’t love having a moist starfish plonked down into their hands?)
The Shark Lab is easy to miss and if you aren’t going to swim with the sharks then you’ll probably complain about how small an experience it actually is. However, I enjoyed the intimacy of this mini-aquarium, and in particular, the friendliness and eager to inform nature of the staff on hand.
Now it is just a matter of the kids getting old enough so that I can toss them into the shark pool! :P
Related Link: The Shark Lab | Mossel Bay