Great White Shark Diving

Contact a specialist about your Great White Shark Diving Holiday

Each and every encounter with a great white is a unique experience. The great whites of Seal island are now world famous for their highly athletic breaches that they make in pursuit of Cape Fur seals which they hunt in the area. The main focus of our tour is on a natural interaction with the sharks and we make our very best efforts to treat these animals with the respect they deserve and at the same time try to share our passion for these animals with you, our guest.

Our trips to Seal Island leave at around 07h00 in winter (May-Sept) as we try to get to the island at first light each morning allowing us to observe the natural predation which is most prevalent near to sunrise. Each morning we will observe natural predatory behavior for as long as possible, however it is usually the first hour and a half that is the most intense. After this period we will try a short decoy tow using a fake cut out carpet seal where we try to get the sharks to breach. It is a very unique way to elicit predatory behavior and has been very useful to help us learn different strategies adopted by different sharks.

After the decoy tow we do an inspection lap around Seal Island looking for any signs of bitten or injured seals which are recorded for research / conservation purposes. We will then choose the best spot to anchor up based on weather conditions and attract sharks to our vessel. This is done by using very small quantities of sardines mixed with water. Once a shark approaches our boat a small bait is put in the water to keep the sharks interested around the boat for identification purposes. At no point are the sharks purposefully fed or handled. We do not use shark livers or any other attractants that have a negative impact on the environment and every effort is made to avoid the sharks coming into contact with our vessel. We do offer the opportunity to cage dive with the sharks for any guest who is qualified however it really is recommended that more emphasis be placed on the surface viewing.

All of our expeditions are run from high powered 28ft catamarans equipped with two new 140hp low emission 4 stroke engines and are capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots. These vessels are custom built for our activities, are safe, fast and reliable offering a well designed lay out suitable for photography, filming, diving and general surface observation. As sharks are entirely wild animals with no boundaries we do not guarantee any sightings at any time of the year however there are certainly better times than others. Chances of seeing one or more sharks: High Season– May to Sept (95%); Intermediate season- April and Oct (65%); Low season- Nov to March (55%). Guests suffering from nausea or motion sickness are advised to take precautionary measures prior to each days scheduled departure. Warm waterproof clothing is recommended and during summer and autumn months sunscreen and a hat are advised. Any persons wishing to cage dive with white sharks need to have entry level scuba qualifications. Daily rate includes: Lunch, snacks and refreshments, all dive gear and air fill if required. Departure times 07h00-13h00 from Simonstown. Maximum group size 12 pax.

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