Great White Shark Cage Diving

White-shark diving in South Africa is most definitely one for your bucket list. Observing and diving with great white sharks under ideal conditions is a once in a lifetime experience. Even people who are indifferent or nervous about sharks, return from our trips with a healthy respect, even love, for these majestic creatures, the apex predators of the deep. Working in the unique marine area off the southern Cape coast, our skippers log more contacts with great white
sharks than anywhere else in the world.

A typical day consists of the following:

A pickup and scenic transfer. You are collected from your accommodation in Cape Town or Hermanus and driven to the Great White Shark Lodge, the home base in Kleinbaai on the Cape south coast.

Enjoy breakfast at the stunning lodge: the continental offering consists of yoghurt, cereals, toast, cold meats, tea and coffee.

Next, you’ll head for the ocean. Your skipper will present a short lecture on shark anatomy, behaviour and offer details of how his team works with sharks in the area.

Diving and viewing. You’ll spend approximately 3 – 4 hours at sea, depending on the frequency of shark sightings. The cage takes 4 to 5 people at a time. All equipment including a 7 mm wetsuits, is provided. Most importantly, you don’t need a scuba licence to cage dive.

Lunch is enjoyed on board and comprises bread rolls (available with a variety of fillings), sweets, crisps, assorted juices and soft drinks.

Upon returning to the harbour, you’ll be invited for tea, coffee, biscuits or scones at the lodge, after which you’ll be driven back to where you were collected.

Boat and crew

The boat is an 11-metre, 4-ton catamaran with all the latest electronic and safety equipment. The boat was custom-built for shark diving, so there’s plenty of space for everyone to view the sharks in comfort.

Our crew consists of experienced skippers, a qualified paramedic, a dive master and friendly, helpful staff. They operate with the benefit of 15 years’ experience in great white shark research, conservation and eco-tourism.

What you need to bring:

• Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
• Sea-sickness tablets (to be taken two hours before launching)
• A warm jacket
• A swimming costume and towel
• Camera