Onno was born in Dordrecht, The Netherlands and moved to Utrecht after high school to study Biology at the University of Utrecht. After graduating with a Bachelor of Biology from the University of Utrecht he decided it was time to go abroad before he would start a Master’s degree in Oceanography at the University of Amsterdam.

“As a young kid I already had a passion for the marine environment and especially for dolphins. I wanted to experience the marine environment at its best. This led me to Marine Dynamics. Coming to Gansbaai for the Great Whites is probably one of the wiser decisions I made so far. The level at which the people working for this company are involved in research and conservation fascinated and inspired me.

Shortly after I got to Gansbaai I learned that it’s not just the Great Whites that make this area unique. It’s the diversity in marine life and the people that work together to get a better understanding of the different animals that visit this area. There is a lot of passion involved and you notice that from the moment you get to know the people that work here. Great White sharks fascinate me because there are still lots of mysteries to be solved. It is critical that we learn more about them so that we can protect them and make sure that this species may thrive for many years to come.”