PRESS RELEASE WHITE SHARK EMBASSY
OUR VISION
To utilise the natural aquarium across the road from the white shark embassy education centre as well as our magnificent sealife, namely sharks and whales, to create awareness and to educate our youth in sustainable utilisation and protection.
OUR MISSION
To Care, Protect and Educate and to create awareness through education programmes to both young and old, locals and tourists.
News
This pic taken 12/1/09 a huge flock of cormorants swoop over kleinbaai. The line was at least 2 km long
February 2009
A new, world class education, conference and tourism service centre on the seafront at Kleinbaai, heart of the Great White Shark Capital of the World will be opened at the end of the month.
The White Shark Embassy, a spacious, modern building sporting life-sized replicas of the Great White Shark on its facade, is a centre for eco-education, community awareness and conservation projects, according to the owners, Kim "Sharklady" Maclean and Terry McCarthy.
The centre is a life-long dream for Maclean and McCarthy who have always been committed to educating the community and especially the youth on marine conservation and specifically sharks. The area is the hub of a vast wealth of marine life, the Great White Shark Capital of the World, including southern right whales, African penguins, Cape fur seals and several bird species.
The Shark Ladies founded and invested (with the Gansbaai community) in the Great White Shark Festival and several other educational projects over the past two years but their ultimate dream of establishing an educational centre has been made possible with assistance from investors.
The White Shark Embassy will also carry the Umzobee (the crafter) project products. This project, ran in conjunction with Art-i-Kapa and the Overstrand municipality, manufactures and sells clothing and crafts made by historically deprived persons from Masakhane, creating employment and company ownership for 16 people.
A specially designed range of casual marine clothing, Cagey Gear, will be the "homegrown" label manufactured by the co-operative for Maclean and McCarthy.
"Community involvement in our industry is essential for its continued success as a major tourism attraction. Conservation and awareness of the environment is equally essential and a major focus will thus be on the education of our youth", Maclean said.
Videos and displays inside the main section of the building will be complemented by lectures and workshops for both residents, schools and tourists. Live marine "touch pools" will be displayed on public and school holidays as an added attraction for children. A Kids Club will be launched at the opening of the centre to host children's marine birthday parties. Members will have entertaining beach clean-ups, kiddies educational movies and intertidal zone adventures. Local and abroad graduate programmes will also be supported by the centre and a special drug rehabilitation project will be offered.
"The concept of "adrenalising" to combat low self esteem that leads to addiction is not new, and the 'rush' of an encounter with the white shark can be used as a tool to encourage youngsters to pursue marine conservation as a career", Maclean added.
The Umzobee project is a co-operative that will benefit historically deprived persons who have attended and completed skills development training to manufacture a variety of crafts. The marine casual wear will include an educational message and not only provide employment but create an opportunity for management and ownership for the participants, she added.
A restaurant and tappas bar will create an ideal spot where locals can meet and at the same time it will provide a comfortable and relaxing area for tourists who are visiting the area.
For further information contact Kim at:
Work: 028 3123287
Cell/Mobile: 0837468985