Saturday, December 25, 2010

South Africa - behold the Bait Ball!

This is the Bait Ball - more implements on Wolfgang's blog post.

Well well - literally!
The Aliwal Shoal operators have come up with a new Shark friendly baiting implement that will once and forever solve the issue of Tiger Shark entanglements and loss of teeth. This has been a communal undertaking where several operators have spent considerable time and funds on finding a solution, and they need to be thanked and commended for having done so.
Bravo!

This will never happen again.
With that in mind and because this is now the past, Wolfgang has given me permission to publish the pictures - this is what got him going!

Where are the teeth? Click for detail.

Does this look like a single event to you?

But!
This begs the question, why did all those people invest all those resources into a non issue?
Remember the backlash? Remember the statements that no Tigers were being hurt? Remember the underhanded whispers and e-mails that the entanglements were a one-off that had been caused by non other than Wolfgang himself who kept yanking on the chain? Because he was just a senile incompetent idiot who was taking too much medication? And that being his usual stupid and stubborn primadonna self, he was not listening to reason but turning against the very people who had gone to such great lengths to accommodate his idiotic requests?

Do you really believe that anything would have happened if he had not raised his voice in alarm?

I say, this still requires closure.
Those who saw what was happening and never said and did anything, learn the obvious lessons. Those who received those emails, remember who wrote them. Those who turned their backs on Wolfgang as a consequence, have a hard look into the mirror.
Notable exception: Allen Walker who channeled his initial anger into productive energy - well done!
Remember the title of my post?

To Wolfgang, what can I say alter Haudegen - you are just simply unmatched and everybody including the Sharks you love owes you big time. Again!
This is Leadership!


And those who wrote those emails?
You owe Wolfgang a retraction and an apology.
Yes it was probably knee-jerk and in the heat of the moment - but now, the heat has dissipated (has it?) and it's high time for the walk to Canossa! The more since it is Christmas! Yallah!
Or not!

Indeed, I'm not holding my breath on this - but I shall be watching.
And I will not be the only one!

10 comments:

Horizon Charters Guadalupe Cage Diving said...

Agreed, leadership at it's finest for all involved, and to those who would sit on the sidelines taking potshots and worse, supporting the operation in question even AFTER seeing these images?

It's gut check time folks.

Do the right thing, make the amends.

For The Sharks!

Remember?

Unknown said...

Hi Mike - you better take a long deep breath - you will be holding it for a while ;).

So I wonder where the people were that: "use environmental friendly ways and techniques to produce his images whenever possible" or "leading a grassroots movement to save one of the most feared and hunted animal on the planet."

To those that made this happen in SA - congrats...it is huge for the sharks of Aliwal.

Wolfgang Leander said...

Well. well, well, Allen - no need to post such an utterly vulgar, primitive, and offensive comment three times... Is that your way to emphasize what you have to say?...

If you have a problem with the "idiots" (who EXACTLY do you mean, Sir, do you include me, my son?) then please try to be a little more specific.

You have engineered a fabulous new baiting device; and have done Blue Wilderness a huge, undeserved favor which they will surely turn into "yet another 'first' they have introcuced being a leader in the industry".

Have another beer, relax (it's still X-mas), and elaborate on your comment so as to let us all know what it is that "pissed" you off, OK?

DaShark said...

Pax Nobiscum!

Guess it serves me right for having proffered a genuine compliment! :)

Allen Walker said...

Good Morning, please remove the posts on this blog that was posted by "me".....Kind Regards Allen Walker...the real one....

DaShark said...

Wow!
We got ourselves a Greek tragedy here, inclusive of a veritable deus ex machina!

Cheers Allen, I just have a policy of not deleting posts unless they are spam or truly atrocious - plus doing so would invalidate Wolfgang's post etc - so let them stand as a testimony to a truly remarkable turn of events.

I was totally impressed by how the Aliwal Shoal Charter Boat Owners Association took ownership of the issue and rallied to find a solution - and as I said, by your personal contribution and moral stance!
I'm sure it hasn't been easy!

Kudos: this is great marketing for South Africa's Shark diving Industry!
I wish other places had that kind of cohesion - not least of which Fiji and Guadalupe!

Allen said...

Hi Mike,

My latin is really bad, but apparently my swearing is better.

I develop a solution, get all the S.A operators credited for their fine input and willingness to change and then call everyone idiots?

Not bad for a days work.

Wolf, good reply

Horizon Charters Guadalupe Cage Diving said...

The Aliwal Shoal Charter Boat Owners Association deserve a lot of positive press on this.

From the time this became an issue to a final, and dare I say, rather ingenious solution, this has been nothing but leadership, smart choices, and now an organic template for other sites worldwide.

Please post some images of the final design at work, and well done again Allen et all.

Since we're talking the language of my people, to you and yours I say, "Ad eundum quo nemo ante iit!"

DaShark said...

"Your people"?

Space: The final frontier
These are the voyages of the Starship, Enterprise
Its 5 year mission
To explore strange new worlds
To seek out new life and new civilizations
To boldly go where no man has gone before ?


OK I'm signing off - all this jolliness (on this blog!) is making me dizzy... :)

Robert said...

They made the change because of the pr problem.