The Mako shark is a maverick in every sense: fast, unpredictable and an outlaw of the open ocean capable of catching even the fastest of gamefish.

There are several records of Mako’s with the broken blades of the swordfish, ‘Xiphias gladius’, Gladiator of the sea, imbedded in their sides. Such wounds speak volumes of the Mako’s predatory courage and its capability to tackle even the most formidable prey.

The Mako is arguably one of the most magnificently designed marine super predators. With its cobalt blue dorsal surface and silvery-white underbelly, this is a very handsome shark, and brings to mind a suave villain making his entrance at the Casino de Monte Carlo only to rob it at gunpoint while the most beautiful women there stand by dreaming of making their escape with him into the sunset.

In the water, Mako’s are simply gorgeous animals. Their shape is akin to that of a jet fighter and for me the only way to showcase this design is to highlight it with radiant shafts of light as the sun’s rays bounce off their backs.

On this particular day, roughly 50 kms off the south-western tip of Africa in the Agulhas current, we waited until the sun had begun to drop. This lower angle of the sun meant that assegais of light pierced the water and all I had to do was to wait for The Sundance Kid to arrive.

Nowadays, Mako’s are not easy to find. Once abundant, they are now scarce; game fishing, long-lining and bycatching have all taken a huge toll, so it is a great privilege indeed when one of this piscine gun-slingers swims into town.

Available Sizes

Exhibition: 173cm x 114cm (68” x 45”)
Large: 146 cm x 96.5 cm (57.5″ x 38″)
Classic: 118cm x 78cm (46.5” x 31”)

Available Editions
Exhibition: 12
Large: 12
Classic: 12