Shark diving

[Siennacoyote]

Any one add cage diving to see great whites visiting South Africa ? I reached out to some operators to start planning my trip before some things came up. I’m starting to think about it again and know South Africa has a large number of great whites . It seems like a great experience to add to a hunt . What were your experiences like? Any operators that are recommended or ones to avoid

 

[Mekaniks]

I am going to follow this with interest. Thank You for posting the question

 

[JimP]

We did it in Mossel Bay back in 2015.

The operator gives you some different ideas on the great whites and just how threatened they are. We went out on a boat to seal island where they chumed some great whites in with fish blood and used a large tuna head to get them close to the cage and the boat.

The operator provided wet suits for those who wanted to go into the cage and the price included a sack lunch.

It was really quite interesting.

 

[Goopy]

Also add me to this list....I just returned from South Africa after an outstanding first trip to Bos en Dal with the venerable mdwest (our own forum favorite!) and am already planning a return trip. I'd definitely like to add a trip to Cape Town coupled with a shark dive upon my return to the Dark Continent!
More on the incredible Bos en Dal experience soon- Gerrit, Francois and Ricus friggin' rock!!!!

 

[Goopy]

Provided a sack lunch? Are you sure that, in the provision of wets suits, you weren't the sack lunch??? hahahahaha- glad you had a good trip!

We did it in Mossel Bay back in 2015.

The operator gives you some different ideas on the great whites and just how threatened they are. We went out on a boat to seal island where they chumed some great whites in with fish blood and used a large tuna head to get them close to the cage and the boat.

The operator provided wet suits for those who wanted to go into the cage and the price included a sack lunch.

It was really quite interesting.

 

[Safari Dave]

I spend a good bit of time offshore fishing, and have never seen one. (I have seen a whale shark, however)

I'd love to see a Great White!

I'd love even more to reel one in!




This would probably be my experience, if in a cage...

 

[Malambo]

I did that in SA many times and see the sharks .

When I have been to do the same in Farallon Islands, C.A., no shark show up.

 

[JimP]

Provided a sack lunch? Are you sure that, in the provision of wets suits, you weren't the sack lunch??? hahahahaha- glad you had a good trip!

You never know.

We did a tour from Port Elizabeth along the coast. Did some bungee jumping one evening and then the shark cage the next day and wandered around the penguins. Missed Table Mountain in Cape Town due to rain storms and cloud cover but then had a great time going through the wine country, ostrich farms, a cave tour ad a lot more on our way to Lesotho to take a horseback ride into a remote village to spend the night before heading back to Port Elizabeth for the flight home.

 

[Goopy]

Absolutely incredible!

 

[JimP]

We actually spent more time after the hunt on the tour than we did hunting

 

[Wiley64]

I am curious on this as well- I must do this before I die

 

[BRICKBURN]

Watch some video of the cage shuffle and see if its for you.

 

[Goopy]

Oh, hell yeah!

 

[Andrew62]

I did 2 days of white shark caged diving 20 years ago, unfortunately, of the 2 days I went out I saw only 2 sharks, so not enough of them to actually get in the cage. I went in January, I was told June and July were better months, so maybe check to see what an outfitter says. My trip went out of Gansbaai. I also understand if you go in June or July there is good whale sightseeing tours as well.

 

[wesheltonj]

My trip was also out of Gansbaai from Cape Town. They call it shark diving, but it’s really not, more like shark snorkeling. The cage goes over the side of the boat, and you slip into the cage. Even with the wetsuit was water is freezing ass cold. They chum the water and the drag a “seal” tail in front of the cage. The water is kind of cloudy. You get a great view from boat above.

I have read that the sharks are now hard to find, as the Orcas find it’s an easy meal of sharks being baited into an area.

 

[Chris M.]

My wife and I went with White Shark Africa located at Mossel Bay in July 2019. It is a shark snorkeling adventure in surface cages.

Good professional outfit that was no frills but reasonable cost. The boat anchors near Shark Island and chums for the sharky charismatic megafauna. We saw 8 sharks; the biggest around 14 foot. The sharks in this Bay are relatively smaller than the ones around Cape Town, but water is clearer and apparently better chance of seeing them. This is consistent with what @wesheltonj referenced in the post, above.

Great to hear my wife scream and curl up in a ball in the corner of the cage. I believe she even curled all her toes in. Water is cold but are provided wetsuits.

 

[MarkB]

I did this in 2021 from Gansbaai SA, I hate to be a bearer of bad news but there are NO large great white sharks left to see, at least on that side of SA. Maybe up west side?? Do some research and see that the "new" killer whales have killed and eaten their livers or drove them miles away. We did see large bronze whalers, porpoise/dolphins and seals but no great whites. No honest cage dive boat had seen one alive and not washed up on shore since 2019 when they were eaten or scared off.

Don't take my word for it do a little research and get real facts. All the honest outfitters were straight up and told us before we went that the chance of a great white was next to nil. It was still worth the $100 all in including all gear, boat ride and soup/ sand buffet lunch. Don't worry about the changing from wet wet suit to your dry cloths on the boat deck in view of all others. View I got was far better than the one they got. Ha ah

Also did the penguins, cape of good hope and table mnt tours, all well worth the time and costs, hell your in Africa.

Do some reliable due diligence if seeing a great white is a must for success. I am sure they are still dead and all gone in area. A new apex predator has arrived. Even a TV show about events.

MB

 

[Mike B.]

I personally would not book it. Ask anyone you intend to book with point blank questions and demand honest answers. If you’re planning on doing it near Gansbaai and Dyer Island, there are very few sharks. The killer whales have pushed them out of that area in the most recent past and chances of seeing anything is slim. There are enough articles out there online that you can search for that discuss what is happening but basically the southern coast where there used to be significant shark sightings have really diminished over the past years. There are far better hotspots in the world now such as the Guadalupe Isles off the coast of Mexico if you really want to make sure you see some sharks.

 

[wesheltonj]

I went with The Shark Lady. See below:

 

[Zambezi]

I suggest getting UP TO DATE info regarding the great whites. Last I heard (about 4 months ago) they were making a return to the area. The orca will not hang around if there is nothing to feed on. They successfully drove the great whites away a few years ago but last I heard the orca had moved on.

Get the latest info if you intend to book.