Day 28: The shark spotter of Chapman's Peak

Shark spotter's perspective

When you drive through Chapman's Peak, one of the most stunningly beautiful drives in the world (as recognized by the 60 Porsche enthusiasts screaming past us today), you may notice a white, blah or green flag on one of the corners. Here sits the shark spotter. Every day, rain or shine. He doesn't have an office or even a shelter from the elements. Sitting in the sun (or in winter amongst the bushes) he serves as the human early warning system to the surfers who congregate in the frothy left break below.

George the shark spotter talked us through all the challenges and tasks of a shark spotter. How the water visibility is measured and what differences occur in the habits of seals and whales alike when the storm winds come in. I asked if he gets bored and he told me, only with the questions he gets asked by tourists (to which he always gives the same random and unrelated answers). The job gives him lots of time to think, he says. Most interesting for me though was how he has shared this spot for the last six years with a cobra. Early on he established some rules in the relationship, saying to the snake: "I am working hard here to feed my children, and to protect the surfers. You cannot be distracting me too much."

Shorefront perspective

How often do you have a conversation with a shark spotter? What are the mechanisms for measuring risk visibility for your business and the markets you are in? Sitting high above the fray, the shark spotter sees deep into the water and can tell us a lot about the things that look normal on the surface. Who has that perspective on your business? The task takes dedication, you can't be a part time shark spotter even when the snakes are curling around your ankles.