Dickie Chivell

Dickie Chivell a man who runs toward the ocean every single time. There are people who work in the ocean because it’s their job. And then there are people who work in the ocean because they can’t imagine being anywhere else. Dickie Chivell has always been the second kind. If you watch Shark Week closely, you’ll spot him not because he’s in the spotlight, but because he’s the first one to volunteer for anything that involves getting in the water. When the crew dreams up a new idea, Dickie is already moving toward the edge of the boat. If there’s a rig to test, he’s climbing onto it. If there’s a platform to try, he’s the one grabbing his gear. He doesn’t hang back or wait for someone else to go first. He runs toward the ocean with an energy that feels almost electric excited, curious, and ready to push boundaries even when the conditions are rough, the sharks unpredictable, and the stakes high. He isn’t calm or reserved. He’s eager, brave, and fully alive in the water. And that’s exactly why he belongs in Conservation Heroes.

Dickie grew up in Gansbaai, South Africa a coastline where the ocean doesn’t ask permission to be wild. It’s home to the Marine Big Five: great whites, whales, dolphins, seals, and African penguins. It’s also home to his family. His father, Wilfred Chivell, is a naturalist and conservationist who founded Marine Dynamics Tourism Group. His mother, Linda, and sister, Sanchia, complete a family whose life has always revolved around the sea. Dickie didn’t stumble into conservation; he was raised in it. And he carries that legacy with him everywhere he goes. South Africa’s marine environment is dangerous. The sharks are massive, the currents unforgiving, and the weather can turn in minutes. But Dickie doesn’t approach the ocean with fear he approaches it with curiosity. He wants to understand it, explore it, and push the limits of what’s possible.

His courage isn’t quiet or stoic. It’s the kind that looks like climbing onto a brand‑new shark cage design, testing an experimental rig, diving into unpredictable waters, and volunteering for the hardest, riskiest tasks. He says “I’ll do it” before anyone else, not because he wants attention, but because he genuinely wants to know what will happen. One of the most remarkable things about Dickie is his ability to build the very equipment that makes shark research and filming possible. He’s known for creating wild, experimental rigs that look like something out of a marine inventor’s workshop because they are.

His most iconic creation is the HORNET, a submerged, towed cage inspired by the original Seal Sled. It debuted in Air Jaws: Ring of Death, where Dickie climbed inside on scuba to watch great whites strike from below. He also built the Mini Seal Sled, featured in Air Jaws: Top Guns, a compact decoy platform designed for close‑range filming. And in Air Jaws: Fin of Fury, he famously rode a 14‑foot female shark decoy named Parthenope, capturing one of the most unforgettable moments in the franchise. Across episodes like Air Jaws: Breach, Strikes Back, and Ultimate Breach, Dickie’s seal‑sled variants and experimental platforms have helped filmmakers study predation from angles no one had ever attempted before.If the crew imagines something new, Dickie is the one who says, “I’ll build it,” and then, “I’ll test it.” This hands‑on innovation is part of what makes him unforgettable.

Dickie is a certified commercial diver, skipper, scuba instructor, and marine guide but he’s also a storyteller. His camera work, his underwater rigs, and his experimental platforms are all part of a mission bigger than television. He wants people to care. He wants people to see sharks the way he does not as monsters, but as ancient, intelligent, essential parts of the ocean. That’s why he’s been part of Shark Week since 2014. Not because he wants fame, but because he wants impact. If you look closely, you’ll spot him in many expeditions: testing a new cage, adjusting a camera housing, securing gear, briefing the team, diving first, and filming the moment everyone else remembers. He’s the guy behind the scenes who makes the scenes possible the one who turns ideas into reality and danger into discovery. That’s heroism most people never see.

Dickie’s conservation impact is also seen in the day‑to‑day work that never makes it onto television. He has assisted in rescuing stranded marine animals along the South African coastline, supported rehabilitation efforts for injured African penguins at the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary, and helped maintain long‑term monitoring stations that track ocean temperature, prey movement, and shark presence around Dyer Island. His role as a skipper places him at the center of real‑time wildlife response, from documenting unusual shark behavior to reporting ecological changes that help scientists understand shifting ocean conditions. These quiet, behind‑the‑scenes efforts form the backbone of conservation the steady, consistent work that protects marine life long before cameras ever arrive.

His work has also taken him far beyond South Africa. He has studied gray whales in Baja, filmed marine life in New Zealand, explored shark habitats in California, and dived in Guadalupe Island. He has collaborated with legends like Chris Fallows, Jeff Kurr, and Andy Casagrande. But no matter where he goes, he carries Gansbaai with him its wildlife, its challenges, its beauty, and its urgency. His heart never leaves home.

What makes Dickie a Conservation Hero isn’t just his skill. It’s his humanity. He’s kind, humble, and grounded. He answers messages politely. He offers help without hesitation. He treats people with respect and the ocean with reverence. He isn’t trying to be a star. He’s trying to be useful. And that’s what makes him extraordinary. Heroism isn’t about being fearless. It’s about being willing. Courage isn’t about being calm. It’s about showing up excited, ready, and unafraid to try. Conservation isn’t about fame. It’s about protecting what matters. Dickie Chivell embodies all of it the heart, the grit, the curiosity, the humility, the devotion, and the wild enthusiasm that define true ocean guardians.

He is a reminder that the world’s greatest heroes aren’t always the ones in front of the camera. Sometimes, they’re the ones behind it volunteering first, diving first, testing first, and protecting the ocean one day at a time. Dickie shares much of his photography, videos, and behind‑the‑scenes conservation work on his Instagram, @dickie_chivell, where viewers can follow his expeditions, rig tests, shark encounters, and daily life on the water. His profile links directly to the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary a quiet reminder that even online, he chooses to spotlight conservation over himself.

We deeply appreciate Dickie Chivell, not just for the work he does, but for the way he does it: with courage, curiosity, kindness, humility, and a willingness to go first. With a love for the ocean that inspires everyone who sees his work. He is, without question, a true Conservation Hero.

References:

Marine Dynamics Academy. (n.d.). Dickie Chivell – Skipper.
https://marinedynamics.org/academy/about/crew/dickie-chivell/
(marinedynamics.org)

Marine Dynamics. (n.d.). Marine Dynamics Shark Tours.
https://marinedynamics.org

Dyer Island Conservation Trust. (n.d.). African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary.
https://dict.org.za

Chivell D. (n.d.). Instagram profile.
https://www.instagram.com/dickie_chivell

Discovery Channel. (2014–2024). Shark Week [Television series].
Warner Bros. Discovery. 

Further Reading:

Chivell, D. (n.d.). Instagram profile. Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/dickie_chivell

Dyer Island Conservation Trust. (n.d.). African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary.
https://dict.org.za

Marine Dynamics Academy. (n.d.). Dickie Chivell – Skipper.
https://marinedynamics.org/academy/about/crew/dickie-chivell/ (marinedynamics.org)

Discovery Channel (2014-2024) Shark Week
https://www.discovery..com/shark-week

Air Jaws returns
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/shark-week-air-jaws-breach-shweekend-air-jaws-123567301020.htmlThrillist. (2021, January 26).

Check out all of Dickie’s work on his Instagram.

Photo by Dickie Chivell

Photo of Dickie Chivell, courtesy of https://www.instagram.com/dickie_chivell (instagram.com)