While I am proud to be featured as a shark heroine in the latest Ocean Geographic Magazine for which I have written and will be doing much more of in the future, there are two questions I have to ask: 1. What is the definition of a hero/heroine, and 2. Does a shark heroine fit…
Author Archives: Lesley Rochat
02
Jan
Jan
Mike Fraser photographing blacktip sharks in Aliwal Shoal, South Africa. As the new year lies before us and with it a new decade, reflecting on the past is a process that heals and helps us learn and grow. The future remains uncertain and this, along with imminent change, remains two of the only certainties. I…
19
Dec
Dec
2010 comes to an end as one of the most difficult, yet liberating year’s of my life. I have worked hard, achieved much against many odds, and learnt a great deal, in particular about people and the business of shark conservation. It’s been over a month that I blogged and I know I let down…
04
Nov
Nov
Oh boy, but has it been a hectic while and a half! It began weeks ago and got worse before it got better when I arrived at the airport to leave for London to attend the Ocean Geographic ‘An Unforgettable Evening’ with Michael Aw, Leandro Blanc and David Doubilet at the London Zoo; to squeeze…
15
Oct
Oct
What a week! It started in fact on Friday last week when I got a call alerting me to the secretive process within South African National Parks (SANP) and the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) to open sections of the Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area (MPA) to fishing, and continued apace with National Marine Week and…
07
Oct
Oct
It’s hard to imagine that there are only 3 months left of this year. It has been an incredibly eventful year for me and AfriOceans: the unexpected gift of freedom after leaving the shark centre has happily ensconced me with more time in the water, camera in hand, and set me on a course of…
AfriOceans, AfriOceans Warriors, Conservation
From the Rivers to the Oceans – Moving from Awareness into Action!
22
Sep
Sep
Last week was International Coastal and River Cleanup week and we at AfriOceans, in partnership with the City of Cape Town, went full steam ahead in doing our bit toward making a difference. Working with the community is an important part of the AfriOceans work and as a result of the support of this event…
15
Sep
Sep
Blacktip sharks have no protection in South Africa and one of the species the anglers were aiming to catch. Divers from around the world come to the area to dive with these graceful sharks. Their value alive is worth far more than dead. They deserve protection. I received an urgent email on Monday from Roland…
09
Sep
Sep
It’s the Southern Right Whale season in False Bay, South Africa and I am blessed to have one of the best vantage points to view them 24/7. All day at the AfriOceans office they entertain and delight us with breaching, tail slapping, their blowing so loud, or simply just cruising past the office. At night back…
26
Aug
Aug
I know I said I was going to do the sardine run slide show, but that will be for another time as the week was consumed by many other conservation demands. So instead I am sharing yet another dive at my favorite local site with the broadnose sevengill sharks in False Bay, which I did today. It was touch…